PRINCETON,     N.     J. 


"^^cMn^e^ /m  c/^^l^.  S^nt^^ i^^^^L^ 

/    1  i 

Division .  U/\.__  /../.  QO 
Sec/ioti   •./^.0../].\U. 


PROCEEDINGS, 

AT   THE  -^^P^- 

DEDICATION 

OF   THE 

Congregational  House. 

Soston,  February/  12th,  IS  73. 

TOOETHEK  WITH   A 

BRIEF    HISTORY 

OF  THE 

S>mertcatT  ^^ongwgattorral  |,ssottatbiT, 

BY  THE 

CORRESPONDING    SECRETARY. 


BOSTON: 
AMERICAN     CONGREGATIONAL     ASSOCIATION. 

1873. 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  following  pages  are  issued  in  accordance  with  a  vote 
of  the  Directors  of  the  American  Congregational  Association, 
at  their  meeting  holden  February  20,  1873. 

The  services  herein  detailed  were  conducted  in  Pilgrim 
Hall  on  the  fourth  floor  of  the  Congregational  House.  In  it 
and  in  the  adjoining  committee  room,  seats  were  provided  to 
accommodate  six  hundred  and  eleven  persons.  These  were 
all  occupied,  and  in  the  doorways  and  corridors  were  many 
standing.  The  close  and  patient  attention  of  such  a  crowded 
audience  for  over  three  hours  gave  unequivocal  testimony  to 
the  pertinency  and  ability  of  the  several  performances. 

The  superadded  sketch  of  the  origin  and  progress  of  the 
Association  to  the  present,  is  intended  to  give  the  reader 
some  idea  of  the  work  done,  and  the  obstacles  encountered 
in  gaining  the  results  already  assured. 

The  Charter,  Constitution,  and  By-Laws,  together  with  a 
list  of  the  Officers  of  the  Association,  will  be  a  convenience 
to  those  who  may  wish  to  know  its  basis  and  present  working 
force. 


li. 


ORDER   OF    EXERCISES.-" 


SINGING. 


BY  THE  CONGREGATION. 
"Coronation." 

All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  name'! 

Let  angels  prostrate  fall  ; 
Bring  forth  the  royal  diadem, 

And  crown  him  Lord  of  all. 

Ye  chosen  seed  of  Israel's  race, 
Ye  ransomed  from  the  fall, 

Hail  him  who  saves  you  by  his  grace, 
And  crown  him  Lord  of  all. 

Let  every  kindred,  every  tribe. 

On  this  terrestrial  ball 
To  him  all  majesty  ascribe. 

And  croAvn  him  Lord  of  all. 


2.     INVOCATION   AND    READING    SCRIPTURES. 
By  Prof.  Hiram  Mead,  Oberlin,  Ohio. 


3.     INTRODUCTORY  REMARKS. 
By  Hon.   E.   S.  Tobey,  President  AmeHcan  Congregational  Associaticti. 


4.     ADDRESS. 
By  Rev.  Wm.  Ives  Bldington,  D.  D.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


ORDER    OF  EXERCISES. 

5.     DEDICATORY  PRAYER. 
By  Rev.  E.  N,  Kirk,  D.  D.,  Boston. 


6.     SINGING. 

Thy  name  we  bless,  Almighty  God  ! 

For  all  the  kindness  thou  hast  shown, 
To  this  fair  land  the  Pilgrims  trod,  — 

This  land  we  fondly  call  our  own. 

We  praise  thee,  that  the  gospel's  light, 
Through  all  our  land  its  radiance  sheds  ; 

DisjDels  the  shades  of  error's  night, 
And  heavenly  blessings  round  us  spreads. 


7.     BRIEF   REMARKS. 

By  Rev.  Rufus  Anderson,  D.  D. 

Dea.  Ezra  Farnsworth,  Chairman  of  Bitildhig  Committee. 

Rev.   Isaac  P.   Langworthy,   Corresponding  Secretary. 

Rev.  H.  M.  Dexter,  D.  D.  (Presenting  a  stone  from  Scrooby.) 

Dr.  Timothy  Gordon,  (Presenting  a  piece  of  genuine  Plymouth  Rock.) 

Gov.  W.  B.  Washburn. 

Hon.  Emory  Washburn,  Cambridge. 

Prof.  E.  A.  Park,  D.  D.,  Andover. 


DOXOLOGY. 

BENEDICTION. 
By  Rev.  E.  B.  Webb,  D.  D.,  Boston. 


INTRODUCTORY  ADDRESS. 

BY   THE   HON.    E.    S.   TOREY,    PRESIDENT. 


In  behalf  of  the  American  Congregational  Associa- 
tion, it  becomes  my  agreeable  duty  to  congratulate 
the  contributors  to  the  Congregational  House,  and  the 
denomination  which  it  represents,  upon  its  completion, 
and  I  wish  it  were  possible  to  add,  the  completion 
also  of  the  adjoining  library  building.  It  gives  me 
pleasure  now  to  welcome  you  to  a  participation  in  the 
service  of  dedicating  this  building  to  the  noble  pur- 
poses for  which  it  was  designed.  The  idea  of  estab- 
lishing this  enterprise,  when  first  placed  before  the 
churches,  appeared  too  indefinite  and  abstract  to 
command  at  once  the  ready  approval  and  favorable 
response  which  its  earnest  friends  desired,  and  hence 
the  arduous  efforts  and  almost  importunate  appeals 
for  means  to  execute  the  purpose  of  its  original  pro- 
jectors. The  long  delay  in  procuring  adequate  pecu- 
niary aid,  and  of  securing  a  proper  site,  has  found  a 
parallel  in  the  fact  that  it  required  nearly  ten  years,  in 
the  great  and  wealthy  metropolis  of  England,  to  carry 


8  INTRODUCTORY  ADDRESS. 

into  effect  a  similar  object.  As  usual,  persevering  and 
unremitting  energy,  based  on  a  true  and  worthy  idea, 
has  finally  prevailed  in  both  instances;  and  now  that 
this  structure,  in  all  its  commodious  and  attractive 
arrangements,  is  before  us,  we  may  hope  that  its  prac- 
tical value  and  usefulness  will  be  no  longer  doubted. 
Indeed,  I  cannot  resist  the  conviction  that  from  this 
day  of  its  dedication  a  steadily  increasing  interest  will 
be  evinced. 

With  a  fragment  of  the  "Manor  House"  in  Scrooby, 
the  gift  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Dexter,  who  brought  it  from 
England,  and  with  a  portion  of  the  veritable  Plymouth 
Rock,  presented  by  Dr.  Gordon,  now  before  us,  to  be 
deposited  in  the  library  of  choice  and  ancient  books, 
this  house  may  be  regarded  as  a  sort  of  "  Pilgrim 
shrine  "  towards  which  the  descendants  of  the  Pilgrims 
will  instinctively  bend  their  steps  whenever  they  shall 
visit  this  city,  and  for  which  the  voluntary  contributors 
on  the  shores  of  the  Pacific,  in  the  Sandwich  Islands, 
or  in  distant  India,  who  may  never  visit  it,  will  ever 
entertain  a  reverential  regard,  if  not  a  fond  attach- 
ment, as  already  expressed  in  the  sentiments  which 
have  accompanied  their  gifts. 

A  granite  monument  in  Plymouth  stands  in  silent 
grandeur  to  commemorate  one  of  the  most  sublime 
events  in  human  history.      This  granite  building  is 


INTRODUCTORY  ADDRESS.  g 

also  a  monument  to  the  principles  and  church  polity 
of  the  fathers,  not  teaching  alone  by  its  material  form, 
but  instinct  with  a  living  influence  through  the  moral 
power  of  the  societies  gathered  within  its  walls. 

From  the  Congregational  Home  will  radiate  the 
influences  of  the  gospel  to  all  nations,  through  the 
agencies  of  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners  for 
Foreign  Missions,  and  the  Woman's  Board  of  Missions. 
From  here  also  the  American  Missionary  Association, 
the  Massachusetts  Home  Missionary  Society,  the 
American  Congregational  Union,  the  City  Missionary 
Society,  the  Congregational  Publishing  Society,  the 
Congregational  Quarterly,  and  the  Congregational 
weekly  newspaper,  will  each  in  their  appropriate 
sphere,  with  ever-increasing  energy,  send  forth  their 
beneficent  and  Christian  efforts  to  elevate  the  char- 
acter of  the  masses  of  the  people  of  our  own  country ; 
while  the  American  Peace  Society,  in  co-operation 
with  kindred  associations  in  foreign  countries,  stimu- 
lated by  the  results  of  the  Geneva  arbitration,  is  even 
now  actively  engaged  in  efforts  to  bring  into  exist- 
ence a  code  of  international  laws  to  provide  hence- 
forth for  the  peaceful  solution  of  disputed  questions 
between  nations,  and  avert  the  dread  calamity  of  war. 
Thus  will  these  societies,  from  this  source  of  moral 
power,  ever  be  contributing  to  the  perpetuity  of  the 


lO  INTRODUCTORY  ADDRESS. 

principles  of  the  fathers  of  the  Repubhc,  and  of  the 
institutions  which  they  founded. 

In  the  library  of  this  Association,  comprising  now 
about  fifteen  thousand  volumes,  are  rare  and  valuable 
works  of  the  able  writers  and  profound  theologians  of 
by-gone  centuries.  These,  accessible  and  especially 
useful  to  the  student  and  the  historian,  will  by  the 
perpetual  force  of  truth  continue  to  give  direction  to 
opinion,  and  perhaps  exert  more  or  less  controlling 
influence  on  the  minds  of  men  for  generations  to 
come. 

To  preserve  these  literary  treasures  it  only  remains 
that  the  interior  of  the  fire-proof  library  building 
already  erected,  and  forming  a  part  of  this  house,  shall 
be  speedily  finished.  While  this  structure  combines 
all  the  conveniences  which  an  entirely  new  one  could 
have  furnished,  it  is  obvious  that  its  style  of  architec- 
ture is  not  only  unambitious,  but  severely  plain.  This, 
however,  with  its  massive  and  enduring  material,  may 
perhaps  render  it  the  more  appropriate  symbol  of  Con- 
gregationalism. In  this  progressive  age  it  may  ulti- 
mately yield  to  the  advancing  wave  of  commerce,  but 
all  that  is  vital  in  the  institution  itself  will  endure, 
even  when  transferred  to  some  more  favored  locality 
and  to  a  building  commensurate  with  the  new  and 
greater  demands  of  the  future.     But  for  many  years 


INTRODUCTORY  ADDRESS.  II 

hence,  no  location  could  combine  greater  advantages, 
dependent  in  part,  as  it  now  is,  on  a  commercial  foun- 
dation and  surroundings  for  revenue. 

It  has  been  alleged  that  the  tendency  of  Congre- 
gationalism is  to  promote  an  undue  sense  of  personal 
independence  and  individualism  at  the  expense  of 
mutual  sympathy  and  even  of  social  qualities.  If  this 
is  in  any  degree  true,  let  us  hope  that  this  institution 
may  to  some  extent  serve  to  promote  more  intimate 
personal  relations,  and  strengthen  the  bonds  of  sym- 
pathy and  of  friendship  between  brethren  of  the  same 
Christian  faith,  as  they  shall  statedly  gather  in  this 
hall  for  social  intercourse,  as  well  as  for  the  discussion 
of  religious  topics  of  mutual  interest.  May  we  not 
properly  cultivate  a  deeper  interest  in,  and  a  laudable 
partiality  for,  the  denomination  with  which  we  are 
connected,  while  at  the  same  time  we  are  careful  to 
cherish  a  catholic  spirit  towards  those  of  a  different 
faith,  always  esteeming  a  comprehensive  spirit  of  gen- 
uine Christianity  as  superior  to  all  denominational  or 
sectarian  preferences. 

Every  intelligent  Congregationalist  should  be  able 
to  exercise  a  discriminating  judgment  as  to  the  char- 
acter of  our  peculiar  church  polity,  and  become  so 
familiar  with  its  relations  to  the  foundation  of  civil 
government  and  republican  institutions  in  our  country 


I  2  INTRO D UCTOR  Y  ADDRESS. 

as  to  know  on  how  firm  and  true  a  basis  his  opinions 
rest.  Within  the  last  few  years  a  new  impulse  has 
been  given  to  the  public  mind  on  this  subject,  and 
information  has  been  more  widely  diffused  through 
the  pulpit  and  the  press. 

If  in  connection  with  the  frequent  appeals  and  argu- 
ments put  forth  in  advocacy  of  the  usefulness  of  the 
institution  which  we  are  now  about  to  dedicate, 
anything  has  been  done  to  promote  a  more  thorough 
examination  and  better  understanding  of  Congrega- 
tionalism, one  at  least  of  its  practical  objects  will 
have  been  already  attained. 

But  the  proprieties  of  the  occasion  forbid  that  I 
should  enlarge  on  these  topics,  and  I  therefore  at  once 
give  place  to  the  distinguished  gentlemen  who  are  to 
follow  in  these  exercises. 


ADDRESS. 

BY   REV.   WM.   IVES  BUDINGTON,   D.D. 


Mr.  President,  Ladies,  and  Gentlemen  : 

I  rise  with  pleasure  to  respond  to  the  invitation 
with  which  I  am  honored,  to  address  you,  and  join  my 
fehcitations  with  yours  on  the  consummation  of  this 
significant  enterprise.  While  it  would  be  more  grate- 
ful to  my  feelings  to  sit  at  the  feet  of  some  whom  I 
see  around  me,  I  am  willing  to  take  the  place  your 
courtesy  has  assigned  me,  because  I  feel  that  I  am 
representing  before  you  the  sons  of  New  England,  out 
of  New  England;  and  venturing  for  a  moment  to 
speak  for  them,  I  bring  you  the  heart-felt  congratula- 
tions of  the  children  of  the  Pilgrims  scattered  over 
this  broad  land,  from  the  Hudson  to  the  Pacific. 

You  have  done  well  to  build  a  house  for  God,  —  I 
say  for  God,  for  the  Temple  at  Jerusalem  was  not 
more  truly  built  for  the  offering  of  sacrifice  to  Jehovah 
than  is  this.  The  difference  is  only  the  difference 
between  the  Mosaic  and  the  Christian  dispensations. 
From  every  part  of  the  land,  from  altars  of  Christian 


1 4  ADDRESS. 

households  and  Christian  churches,  all  over  the  con- 
tinent, are  to  come  hither  the  sacrifices  of  our 
people  to  send  the  gospel  round  the  world,  and  make 
all  the  families  of  the  earth  akin,  by  making  them 
believers  in  the  common  name  of  Christ.  I  thank 
you  for  building  such  a  house  to  receive  such  sacri- 
fices ;  and  I  speak  not  now  of  contributions  of  money, 
but  contributions  of  our  sons  and  daughters.  What 
memories  throng  in  our  minds,  at  an  hour  like  this, 
of  the  sacrifices  that  have  been  laid  on  the  altar  of 
God,  in  yonder  house  on  Pemberton  Square !  What 
goodly  companies  have  gone  from  the  rooms  of  the 
Home  Missionary  Society!  And  may  God  spare  this 
building  for  generations  to  come,  till  all  its  rooms 
shall  be  consecrated  by  larger  and  better  sacrifices  to 
Him,  who  gave  himself,  once  for  all,  for  us  and  for  the 
whole  world !  Such  a  house  is  worthy  to  be  builded 
by  all  our  churches,  and  worthy  to  be  called  the  house 
of  God,  as  glorious  as  that  which  stood  on  Mount 
Moriah  and  more  so,  —  as  much  more  so  as  the  living 
sacrifices  to  be  offered  here  exceed  the  typical  ones 
that  bled  there. 

You  have  put  the  word  "  Congregational  "  upon  this 
house.  Am  I  not  right  in  saying,  that  this  is  the  first 
time  in  our  history,  that  this,  our  distinctive  name,  has 
been  placed  upon  a  structure  erected  by  the  general 


ADDRESS.  1 5 

contributions  of  our  churches  ?  The  earliest  denom- 
ination of  Christians  to  occupy  this  western  world,  has 
thus  been  the  last  to  assert  itself  denominationally. 
In  the  winter  of  1 620-1,  the  Pilgrims  found  for  them- 
selves a  permanent  home  in  Plymouth  ;  in  the  winter 
of  1872-3,  their  principles  of  church-order  first  find 
a  lodgment  in  the  city  they  founded  and  have  made 
illustrious. 

What  is  the  meaning  of  this?  Does  it  signify  a 
change  on  the  part  of  our  churches  and  people?  Are 
we  more  sectarian  than  our  fathers  were?  Are  we 
attaching  to  our  polity  an  importance  which  its  fram- 
ers  did  not,  but  which  for  two  centuries  and  a  half  has 
been  substantially  ignored,  and  left  to  care  for  itself? 

It  is  a  question  pertinent  to  the  hour,  and  one  to 
which  our  people  are  peculiarly  sensitive.  Let  me 
answer  it ;  but  before  doing  so,  let  me  say,  what  will 
not  be  denied,  and  cannot  be,  that  our  people  have 
from  the  first  been  eminently  catholic.  The  Pilgrims 
were  so  in  Holland.  Edward  Winslow  testifies,  from 
personal  knowledge  as  a  parishioner,  to  the  broad  and 
sweet  charity  of  John  Robinson,  which  in  that  age 
was  wonderful,  and  in  this  is  still  beautiful.  He 
repudiates  for  his  teacher  the  name  and  spirit  of  "Sep- 
aratist," and  recites  the  communion  he  practised  with 
the  Dutch  and  French  churches,  as  well  as  with  the 


1 6  ADDRESS. 

churches  of  England  and  Scotland.  And  In  this 
country,  when  our  churches  were  originally  gathered, 
the  name  "  Congregational "  was  not  used  as  a  desig- 
nation ;  it  was,  you  remember,  the  "  First  Church, 
Plymouth,"  "  First  Church,  Boston,"  or  Hartford,  or 
New  Haven.  It  seems  a  tautology,  as  the  words  "  con- 
gregation "  and  "  church  "  had  the  same  meaning,  and 
represented  the  same  original  word.  During  the 
greater  part  of  our  history  since,  not  Christian  polity, 
but  Christian  doctrine,  has  been  thought  of,  discussed, 
and  prized ;  and  consequently  our  people  have  known 
no  difference,  not  even  in  name,  between  themselves 
and  our  Presbyterian  brethren,  who  have  espoused  the 
same  views  of  divine  truth.  Accordingly,  when  our 
people  moved  west,  they  easily  coalesced  with  other 
bodies  of  Christians,  especially  the  Presbyterians,  and 
were  not  conscious  of  making  a  change.  Dr.  Nott, 
the  late  President  of  Union  College,  told  me  that  he 
considered  himself  largely  responsible  for  this  course 
of  things  in  the  State  of  New  York;  thinking  it  a 
pity,  he  said,  that  there  should  be  two  denominations 
in  place  of  one  ;  and  coming  from  Connecticut,  as  he 
did,  he  proposed  to  his  brother  on  the  ground,  repre- 
senting Presbyterianism,  that  they  should  organize 
churches  after  one  pattern,  and  bearing  a  common 
name. 


ADDRESS.  1 7 

This  tendency  has  been  expressed,  and  still  further  . 
increased,  by  the  formation  of  union  societies  for  the 
propagation  of  the  gospel.  It  was  natural,  under  their 
circumstances  unavoidable,  that  our  fathers,  when 
they  came  to  organize  missionary  societies,  should  do 
it  irrespective  of  church  polity ;  in  their  view,  the 
gospel  was  the  light  from  heaven,  and  church  polity 
no  more  than  the  window  that  let  the  light  through. 
The  less  it  was  thought  of,  the  less  it  detained  of  the 
liofht  to  reveal  its  own  existence,  the  better.  Thus 
foreign  missions  and  home  missions  were  first 
organized  by  Congregationalists,  but  irrespective  of 
name,  and  in  concert  with  Christians  of  like  faith. 
But  I  need  not  tell  you,  that  now,  with  no  thought  of 
ours,  and  by  no  action,  on  our  part,  this  co-operative 
union  has  been  broken  up.  The  providence  of  God 
has  evidently  been  concerned  in  the  movement,  and 
we  have  nothing  to  do  but  to  bow  to  it.  Church 
action  has  been  substituted  in  place  of  union  and 
voluntary  associations.  The  result  is,  that  we  find 
ourselves  substantially  in  possession  of  the  great 
organizations,  which  remain  unchanged  upon  their 
catholic  basis,  but  which  look  for  support  mainly  to 
Congregational  churches,  —  I  mean  the  American 
Home  Missionary  Society  and  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M. 

What,  now,  are  we   to  do?     Forced  back  upon  our- 


1 8  ADDRESS. 

selves,  we  have  been  obliged  to  ask  the  question,  What 
are  the  principles  of  church  order  by  which  we  are 
distinguished,  and  have  they  claims  upon  our  advo- 
cacy and  support  ?  We  must  either  abandon  our 
polity,  confess  that  Congregationalism  has  no  per- 
manent mission  in  the  land,  and  so  merge  ourselves 
in  other  denominations ;  or  we  must  adhere  to  the 
principles  we  have  received  from  our  fathers,  honor 
them,  and  sustain  them.  The  Society  of  Friends 
have  been  giving  signs  —  at  least,  many  of  them  — 
that  they  have  accomplished  their  distinctive  mission : 
having  borne  a  long  and  honorable  testimony  to  the 
power  and  preciousness  of  the  indwelling  Spirit  of 
God,  they  find  this  truth  heartily  welcomed  by  other 
Christians,  and  admitting  for  themselves  the  sanctity 
of  sacramental  forms,  they  are  seeking  new  homes  in 
other  communions.  Is  it  to  be  so  with  us  1  No 
doubt  our  Congregational  principles  have  found  their 
way,  along  with  our  people,  into  churches  that  were 
formerly  hostile  to  them,  but  which  have  been  grad- 
ually leavened  by  them.  The  unit  with  us,  according 
to  our  polity,  is  the  local  church ;  as  in  Presbyterian- 
ism  it  is  the  presbytery,  and  in  Episcopacy  the  dio- 
cese. Now,  in  point  of  fact,  it  will  be  found  that  the 
autonomy  of  the  local  church  has  gone  beyond  the 
recognition  of  the  principle.     In  the  supreme  judica- 


ADDRESS.  1 9 

tories  of  national  churches,  authority  is  less  and  less 
appealed  to,  ancj  government  more  and  more  exercised 
in  a  declarative  and  advisory  way.  Perhaps  the  most 
thoroughly  organized  and  manifoldly  self-active  church 
in  the  city  of  New  York  is  the  "  Holy  Trinity,"  under 
the  pastoral  care  of  the  younger  Dr.  Tyng.  It  is 
Episcopal  in  name,  but  Congregational  in  spirit.  Its 
distinctive  history  has  been  made  by  its  development 
of  the  local  church  or  parish.  It  reproduces,  in 
many  features,  the  early  Congregation,  presided  over 
by  a  board  of  Presbyters,  in  which  the  bishop  was 
first  among  his  equals.  With  Dr.  Tyng  as  rector  are 
associated  not  less  than  seven  ministers,  who  have  in 
charge  as  many  chapels,  surrounding  the  mother 
church;  to  these  are  added  mission  schools,  lay  mis- 
sionaries, a  dispensary,  infirmary,  orphanage,  a  girls' 
sewing  school,  Dorcas  societies,  and  a  House  of 
Evangelists,  which  is  a  training  school  for  Christian 
workers. 

Now,  is  our  mission  ended  ?  Shall  we  content  our- 
selves with  an  influence  unconsciously  exerted  and 
unconsciously  felt?  I  ask  this  question  and  answer 
it,  alone  in  the  spirit  of  loyalty  to  the  great  Head  of 
the  Church,  and  of  zeal  for  the  unity  of  his  body  on 
earth.  I  speak  for  myself,  and  I  am  sure  I  speak  for 
the  builders  of  this  house,  when  I   say  that  we  value 


20  ADDRESS. 

our  polity  only  as  it  subserves  the  kingdom  of  Christ ; 
we  are  Congregational ists  because  we  are  Christians, 
and  because  under  the  forms  of  our  polity,  we  think 
we  can  best  compass  the  evangelization  of  the  world, 
and  best  bring  together  the  churches  of  Christ  in  one- 
ness of  body  and  spirit.  If  our  polity  be  a  schism,  or 
tend  to  a  schism,  we  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  it ; 
it  is  only  in  the  interest  of  true  religion  and  of  cath- 
olicity that  we  espouse  it,  and  will  maintain  it. 

What  is  the  Congregational  polity  ?  In  substance, 
the  autonomy  of  the  local  church,  —  the  complete 
church  estate  of  every  body  of  associated  believers, 
as  having  Christ  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  being  by 
him  made  the  recipient  of  the  faith,  and  the  deposi- 
tory of  church  rule.  To  this  is  only  to  be  added  the 
free  and  unconstrained  fellowship  of  the  churches,  — 
a  fellowship  springing  from  the  churches  themselves, 
and  n6t  imposed  by  bodies  outside  of,  and  indepen- 
dent of,  the  local  church. 

Look  at  this  theory  of  the  church,  as  to  its  place  in 
history.  We  hold  it  to  be  the  earliest  organization. 
"  We,"  do  I  say }  Am  I  not  warranted  in  saying,  it 
is  now  conceded  matter  of  fact,  and  admitted  by  many 
who  nevertheless  regard  later  constitutions  as  legiti- 
mate and  better.'^  The  Christian  scholarship  of  this 
nineteenth  century  has  settled  some  things.     It  is  im- 


ADDRESS.  2 1 

possible  to  go  over,  in  the  manner  of  our  fathers,  some 
of  the  great  questions  that  have  hitherto  divided  the 
churches  of  the  Reformation.  The  dissertation  of  Dr. 
Lightfoot,  of  the  University  of  Cambridge  in  England, 
on  "  The  Christian  Ministry,"  by  its  candor  and  large- 
minded  intelligence,  must  banish  certain  phases  of  the 
Episcopal  controversy.  We  freely  own  that  the  Con- 
gregational way  of  church  government  was  too  free 
and  spiritual  for  the  first  centuries  of  the  Christian 
era,  that  it  demanded  too  much  intelligence  and  self- 
control  for  Christianity  in  its  first  stages.  So  Judaism 
with  its  monotheism  was  too  spiritual  for  the  Israel- 
ites in  the  desert,  and  long  after  they  were  settled  on 
the  hills  of  Palestine,  overshadowed  as  they  were  by 
the  idolatries  of  the  great  kingdoms  about  them.  But 
it  is  God's  way  to  give  truth  to  educate  peoples,  and 
He  teaches  that  it  is  better  to  make  it  known,  even 
though  it  be  corrupted  and  overlaid  for  long  periods, 
and  that  it  will  fight  its  way  back,  and  suffer  its  way 
back,  and  in  the  end  be  all  the  clearer  and  the 
stronger  for  the  discipline.  So  it  has  proved  with  the 
Congregational  polity.  Within  three  or  four  hundred 
years  it  has  reappeared,  and  come  as  the  most  ad- 
vanced thought,  the  ripest  fruit  of  the  Reformation 
in  England.  There  is  something  significant  in  the 
method  and  time   of  this  reappearance.      Like  Wes- 


22  ADDRESS. 

leyanism,  it  had  its  origin  in  an  English  university; 
but  unlike  it,  not  bearing  its  paternity  in  its  name,  it 
grew  up  simultaneously  in  a  multitude  of  minds,  not 
alone  in  sequestered  study,  but  in  busy  pastorships,  not 
alone  among  the  clergy,  but  the  people  as  well.  It 
was  the  final  outcome  of  the  reformed  Church  of  Eng- 
land, her  martyrs,  confessors,  and  heroes.  If  anything 
in  the  history  of  the  Christian  church  ever  had  its 
roots  in  strong  thinking  and  earnest  living,  it  was  that 
historical  movement  which  gave  England  her  liberty 
and  America  her  constitution.  What  honor  did  God 
put  upon  the  Pilgrims  of  Holland  and  the  Puritans 
of  England,  and  the  polity  they  revived,  to  make  them 
and  it  the  bond  of  union  between  the  old  world  and 
the  new,  —  final  fruits  of  the  history  consummated 
there,  and  seed-principles  of  the  history  inaugurated 
here ! 

We  are  not  instituting  extravagant  and  distaste- 
ful claims  for  Congregational  churches,  as  the  best 
churches,  much  less  as  the  ojtly  churches  of  Christ  in 
our  time.  We  are  only  asserting  that  to  them  are 
committed  principles  more  sacred  than  they  know,  the 
nature  of  which  they  only  partly  comprehend,  in  the 
development  of  which  they  are  feeble  and  hesitating, 
but  the  value  of  which  is  becoming  more  and  more 
apparent  as  the  needs  and  dangers  of  our  time  become 


ADDRESS. 


23 


more  conspicuous.  Viewed  not  as  a  sect-principle,  but 
a  law  of  development  deduced  from  the  Scriptures,  and 
illustrated  by  primitive  practice,  the  church  polity, 
which  makes  the  congregation  the  fountain  of  power 
and  the  unit  of  aggregation,  belongs  not  to  the  form 
but  to  the  life  of  Christianity, —  it  is  a  doctrine  as  well 


as  a  government. 


The  great  apostasy  of  Romanism  is  but  an  illustra- 
tion of  the  importance  attaching  to  the  polity  of  the 
church  ;  and  it  is  the  development  of  the  world-idea 
of  power  and  authority,  which  began  so  early  to 
supplant  the  simple  and  self-active  fellowships  of  the 
Apostles'  days ;  and  as  in  point  of  fact  it  has  been  the 
occasion  of  reviving  the  primitive  polity,  so  it  is  most 
directly  met  and  antagonized  by  this  polity.  The 
grace  of  salvation,  according  to  the  Romish  theory, 
is  a  deposit  intrusted  to  a  few  men,  in  effect  to  one 
man,  who  infallibly  declares  the  will  of  God,  and  in- 
fallibly imparts  the  grace  of  God,  to  such  as  recognize 
his  authority,  and  seek  salvation  as  he  directs.  By 
that  theory  the  body  of  the  church  are  made  to  receive 
spiritual  life  from  the  officers  of  the  church,  and  so 
are  absolutely  dependent  upon  them.  The  Congrega- 
tional theory  is  precisely  the  reverse  of  all  this.  The 
body  of  the  church  receives  directly  from  God,  through 
faith  in  Christ,  a  divine  life,  which  is  the  inspiration 


24  ADDRESS. 

of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  and  in  that  life  Is  given  ministry, 
sacrament,  self-government,  and  world-wide  diffusion. 
"  Where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  In  my 
name,  there  am  I  In  the  midst  of  them."  Hence  all 
the  sacredness  and  power  of  the  church.  The  sub- 
llmest  Institution  on  earth  Is  a  church  recognizing 
the  presence  of  Christ  In  the  midst  of  them,  and 
obeying  his  Spirit.  There  can  be  no  more  valid  min- 
istry than  that  which  such  a  church  elects,  and  sets 
apart  by  prayer  and  Imposition  of  hands.  There 
are  no  more  valid  sacraments  than  those  which  such 
believers  observe  In  the  faith  of  their  present  Lord. 
The  validity  of  church  organization,  of  ministry  and 
sacrament,  the  "power  of  the  keys,"  so  called,  does 
not  come  from  the  past,  by  succession  of  Inheritance 
and  bequest;  does  not  come  from  without,  but  from 
within,  from  the  ever-present  spirit  of  life  in  the 
hearts  of  believers.  God  Is  its  author  and  inspirer 
to-day,  as  when  the  first  church  came  together  in 
Jerusalem.  The  church  springs,  as  government  does, 
from  the  hearts  of  the  people  ;  from  within  outwards, 
from  beneath  upwards,  is  the  course  of  spiritual  life 
and  growth. 

See  how  marked  the  contrast,  how  exact  the  contra- 
diction between  the  Romish  and  the  Congregational 
theory.     The  Romanist  says  the  life  and  life -impart- 


ADDRESS. 


25 


ing  grace  of  salvation  resides  in  the  Holy  Father,  and 
only  by  communion  with  Him,  is  preserved  to  bishops, 
priests,  and  people.  The  Congregationalist  says  that 
the  grace  of  salvation  is  given  to  the  congregation  of 
Christ's  faithful  people,  through  whom  from  Christ,  by 
his  express  appointment,  come  pastors  and  teachers, 
and  without  whom  is  neither  church  ordinance  nor 
act.  The  Congregationalist,  also,  in  his  way  is  as 
much  a  ckzirchman  2iS  the  Romanist  in  his.  Church- 
man is  only  another  word  for  Congregationalist^  inas- 
much as  congregation  and  church  are  the  same  thing. 
Is  the  church  to  the  Romanist  a  divine  institution  ? 
So  and  not  less  is  it  to  us.  Has  the  Roman  Catholic 
polity  to  do  with  the  essence  of  Christianity  itself.f* 
So  and  not  less  has  the  Congregational,  which  is  the 
reaffirmation  of  our  Lord's  own  teaching,  that  Christ, 
in  the  midst,  is  the  being  and  the  life  of  the  church, 
his  life  permeating  theirs,  and  thus  making  the  church 
to  become  the  body  of  Christ.  So  we  meet  the 
Romanist  on  his  own  ground.  He  can  take  no  higher 
position  than  we  do.  It  is  doctrine  meeting  doctrine. 
This  fits  us  pre-eminently  to  confront  the  power  of 
Rome.  On  this  new  continent,  and  beneath  new  con- 
ditions, the  church  of  Rome  is  to  contend  with  primi- 
tive Christianity  clothed  with  her  primitive  polity. 
The  impending  conflict  we  believe  to  be  the  last;  but 


26  ADDRESS. 

it  will  be  \\\Q  first  in  which  Romanism  and  Congrega- 
tionalism have  met  upon  a  fair  field.  For  this  reason, 
therefore,  because  our  polity  gives  us  the  vantage- 
ground  in  the  great  controversy  with  Rome,  we  are 
bound  to  affirm  it,  by  the  highest  consideration  that 
can  take  hold  of  us,  either  as  Christians  or  as  citizens. 
But  there  is  another  reason  that  binds  us  to  this. 
We  are  upon  the  eve  of  great  doctrinal  agitations. 
We  have  Romanism  on  one  side,  and  a  godless  infi- 
delity on  the  other ;  and  our  Congregationalism  will 
be  found  to  be  as  necessary  in  combating  the  one  as 
the  other.  The  church  of  God  has  had  heresies  to 
contend  with  before,  but  the  most  damnable  of  all  is 
approaching.  The  coming  question  is  not,  Whether 
Christ  be  the  supreme  head  of  the  church,  and  enti- 
tled to  our  absolute  allegiance  as  King  and  Lord,  but 
it  is  a  question  deeper  than  this,  Whether  there  be  any 
King  or  'Lord  in  the  universe  ?  A  class  of  doubters 
has  sprung  into  notice,  who  tell  us  that  if  God  is  not 
in  creation,  he  does  not  exist  at  all  so  far  as  men  are 
concerned,  for  the  Universe  alone  is  knowable  ;  and  if 
there  be  a  God  somewhere  else,  he  is  not  a  being  who 
has  any  rights  we  are  bound  to  respect.  In  confront- 
ing this  last  and  boldest  assault  upon  the  faith  once 
delivered  to  the  saints,  it  is  most  important  that  Chris- 
tians  be  united  and  firm  in  the  testimony  they  bear 


ADDRESS.  2  7 

to  the  truth  of  God.  It  is  indispensable  that  petty 
and  divisive  questions  be  driven  from  the  church  of 
God,  and  that  an  unbroken  front  be  presented  to  the 
atheism  and  irrehgion  of  our  times.  We  must  have 
a  poHty  that  is  comprehensive  of  all  faithful  men ; 
and  that  polity  alone  will  meet  the  exigencies  of  the 
present  and  the  coming  age,  which  allows  for  and 
combines  all  the  diversities  of  belief  necessitated  by 
nature  and  tolerated  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 

The  great  problem  has  been,  and  still  is,  how  to 
make  the  church  comprehensive,  and  at  the  same  time 
faithful  to  the  deposit  of  the  faith.  The  true  catholic 
church,  it  has  been  universally  conceded,  must  be  tol- 
erant of  differences  having  their  origin  in  God's  ordi- 
nations, in  race  and  nationality,  in  temperament  and 
culture,  in  civilization  and  refinement.  But  practi- 
cally the  problem  has  been  found  insoluble,  where  to 
run  the  line  between  those  essential  doctrines  which 
cannot  be  denied  without  denying  the  faith,  and  those 
other  doctrines,  which,  though  belonging  to  it,  may  be 
separated  from  it,  to  the  harm  indeed,  but  not  to  the 
destruction  of  the  whole.  What  has  seemed  essential 
to  one  has  not  seemed  so  to  another;  what  is  so 
regarded  in  one  age,  is  not  so  looked  upon  in  another. 
Two  methods  have  been  resorted  to.  Confessions,  in 
the  first  instance,  have  been  drawn  up,  declaring  what 


28  ADDRESS. 

the  framers  thought  to  be  true,  and  assent  to  them 
has  been  required  on  pain  of  eternal  damnation.  The 
enlightened,  and  I  will  add  the  Christian,  sentiment 
of  the  world  is  becoming  more  and  more  settled  in 
opposition  to  such  tests  of  Christian  character,  and 
such  conditions  of  salvation.  Of  this  the  present 
agitation  is  witness,  in  the  Church  of  England, 
against  the  damnatory  clauses  of  the  so-called  Atha- 
nasian  creed  ;  and  the  beginning  discussions,  as  well, 
respecting  the  Westminster  Confession  in  the  Church 
of  Scotland.  The  other  way  has  been  to  select  gen- 
eral statements,  and  adopt  venerable,  historic  symbols 
for  substance  of  doctrine.  But  the  more  generic  these 
statements  have  been  made,  the  weaker  they  have 
become  as  bonds  of  union,  and  the  more  diverse  the 
parties  they  have  included,  till  they  have  ceased  to 
perform  the  functions  of  a  common  confession.  So 
that  it  has  come  to  pass,  that  these  attempts  to  ex- 
press the  ancient  faith  in  modern  moulds  of  thoughts, 
whether  in  strict  or  liberal  articles  of  agreement,  have 
been  patent  failures,  and  are  well-nigh  acknowledged 
to  be  such.  The  problem  seems  beyond  human  solu- 
tion ;  and  we  have  no  reason  to  regret  it,  for  it  is  not 
in  this  way  that  the  unity  of  Christ's  church  is  to  be 
expressed  and  maintained. 

The  Congregational  way  has  been  to  deny  the  right 


i  "^ 


ADDRESS.  29 

or  utility  of  such  confessions ;  to  insist  that  they  have 
no  binding  force  upon  the  local  church  ;  and  to  re- 
mand the  confession  of  the  faith  once  delivered  to  the 
saints  to  each  assemblage  of  believers,  to  whom  it 
originally  belonged,  and  whence  it  has  been  mischiev- 
ously taken.  It  has  been  to  refer  the  confession  of 
the  truths  of  the  gospel  to  men  and  women  in  the 
midst  of  actual  life,  and  remote  from  all  metaphysical 
speculations,  and  thus  bring  to  the  front  the  concrete 
facts  of  the  incarnation,  the  death,  and  resurrection  of 
our  Lord,  and  the  outpouring  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  the 
Lord  and  giver  of  life.  It  is  to  rest  the  security  and 
perpetuation  of  the  faith  on  the  testimony  of  living 
disciples,  whose  lives  and  experiences  are  facts  that  hold 
in  them  the  divine  deposit.  It  is,  in  other  words,  to 
repose  confidence  in  the  Spirit  of  God,  present  and 
ruling  in  the  hearts  of  God's  people.  It  is  to  go  back 
to  the  sublime  example  of  Christ  and  his  Apostles ;  of 
Christ,  who  wrote  not  a  line,  but  contented  himself 
with  pouring  his  life  into  the  hearts  of  men ;  of  the 
Apostles,  who  made  themselves  witnesses  to  the  facts 
of  a  divine  life,  and  their  converts  to  be  epistles, 
"  written  not  with  ink,  but  with  the  Spirit  of  the  living 
God." 

The  church  has  been  slow  to  learn  the  possibility 
and   safety  of    doing  this.     But   what  has  been   the 


30  ADDRESS. 

consequence  of  leaving  the  utterance  and  defence  of 
the  gospel  to  the  separate  congregations  of  believers  ? 
We  appeal  to  actual  results,  to  an  unanimity  of  believ- 
ing and  fellowshipping,  never  attained  under  subscrip- 
tion to  national  or  ecumenical  creeds.  Mere  results 
are  sufficient,  we  hold,  to  establish  the  principle.  It  is 
safe,  safest  of  all,  to  entrust  the  keeping  of  the  faith  to 
churches  made  up  of  plain  people,  believing  in  their 
hearts,  and  confessing  with  their  mouths,  what  they 
have  received  and  known  and  felt  of  the  great  salva- 
tion. The  Independent  and  Baptist  churches  of 
Great  Britain,  as  well  as  of  this  country,  have  main- 
tained the  fundamental  doctrines  of  the  gospel  more 
harmoniously  than  any  like  number  of  believers,  for  a 
like  period  of  time,  since  the  Christian  era. 

This  action  of  our  churches,  however,  has  been 
taken  with  no  prejudice  to  the  rightful  province  of 
theology.  It  only  remands  it,  where  it  belongs,  to  the 
schools,  and  to  the  doctors  of  the  church.  In  its 
sphere  theology  is  as  useful,  and  as  necessary,  as 
science  is  in  its  sphere.  But  as  bread  existed  before 
chemistry  was  born,  and  will  be  made  and  eaten  as 
before  by  multitudes  ignorant  of  its  chemical  equiva- 
lents, so  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  manna  of  the  soul, 
antedated  theology,  and  will  continue  to  be  preached 
and   received,  in  all   its  saving  power,  by  many  who 


ADDRESS.  3 1 

are  ignorant  of  the  elements  of  theological  science. 
The  gospel  was  originally  delivered  to  men  in  the 
concrete,  and  chiefly  in  the  life  of  one  incomparable 
Being ;  and  this  gospel,  in  its  original  shape,  is  suffi- 
cient for  pulpit,  communion-table,  prayer-meeting,  and 
closet.  In  this  way,  and  for  this  reason,  the  unity  of 
our  churches  has  been  maintained,  as  it  never  could 
have  been,  in  the  midst  of  contending  theologies,  had 
any  one  of  them  had  the  right,  or  been  permitted  to 
impose  itself  upon  the  churches.  The  communion  of 
Congregational  churches  cannot  be  permanently 
interrupted,  till  the  great  facts  of  the  gospel  history 
are  denied,  and  the  practical  manifestations  of  the 
Christian  life  are  given  up.  You  might  as  well  draw 
dividing  lines  through  the  fluent  waters,  as  between 
free  and  independent  churches,  living  a  common  life, 
and  practically  holding  the  same  faith  in  Christ.  We 
hold  it,  therefore,  as  demonstrated  by  experience,  that 
the  Congregational  polity  admits  of  the  wddest  possi- 
ble comprehension,  and  this  without  laxity  of  doctrine, 
or  the  surrender  of  the  faith. 

So,  too,  Congregationalism  is  comprehensive  in  re- 
spect to  modes  of  worship  ;  for  these,  along  with  con- 
fessions of  faith,  are  left  with  the  local  church.  And 
this  is  a  blessed  feature  in  our  polity,  especially  as  we 
look  into  the  future.     In   the  first  instance,  no  doubt, 


32  ADDRESS. 

preaching  is  so  important  as  to  be  the  ahnost  exckisive 
concern  of  ministers  and  churches.  The  gospel  must 
be  known  before  the  God  of  the  gospel  can  become 
the  object  of  worship.  Preaching  is  the  great  work 
of  the  missionary,  carrying  the  gospel  to  the  heathen ; 
and  of  the  evangelist,  as  well,  in  great  cities  and  neg- 
lected neighborhoods.  But  when  men  are  converted, 
and  settled  in  well-ordered  families  and  congregations, 
worship  becomes  much  more  an  object  of  interest  and 
concern  to  minister  and  people,  till,  in  the  advance- 
ment of  intellectual  and  spiritual  culture,  it  becomes 
the  great  end,  and  preaching  introductory  and  subser- 
vient to  it.  The  prominence  that  of  late  has  been 
given  to  prayer-meetings,  and  the  power  they  have 
had  in  awakening  and  diffusing  religious  interest,  is 
remarkable,  and  suggestive  of  the  tendency  of  the 
public  mind.  There  is  a  power  in  worship  we  have 
only  begun  to  realize;  and  in  many  of  our  congre- 
gations there  is  an  unmistakable  demand  for  more 
common  worship,  —  for  modes  which  will  enable  all  to 
take  part.  It  is  a  want  coming  from  the  deepest  con- 
sciousness of  the  Christian  life.  Worship  never  tires, 
always  interests  and  feeds  ;  that  is,  true  worship  does. 
Worship  is  life  itself,  while  instruction,  however  neces- 
sary, is  only  preparatory  to  life.  The  desire  for  it, 
also,  marks  a  higher  stage  of  Christian  character  and 


ADDRESS.  33 

growth.  There  comes  a  time  when  the  intelligent, 
well-furnished  mind  is  settled  and  fixed  in  the  knowl- 
edge of  fundamental  doctrines,  when  a  reconsidera- 
tion of  them,  in  the  way  of  argument  and  defence,  has 
a  weakening,  rather  'than  strengthening  effect,  and  to 
such  an  one  worship  becomes  a  hunger  and  a  neces- 
sity. Now  the  polity,  which  intrusts  to  the  local 
church  the  duty  of  self-government,  is  a  means  of 
growth  and  development  in  this  most  important  mat- 
ter of  ordering  the  worship  of  God.  It  says  to  the 
people,  do  it  in  the  way  your  own  thoughtful  and 
prayerful  study  of  the  subject  shall  convince  you  will  be 
most  for  your  spiritual  good,  and  your  children's.  No 
authority  from  without  imposes  one  and  the  same  mode 
upon  all  congregations,  irrespective  of  taste,  training, 
or  culture ;  but  they  are  called  upon  to  apply  their  in- 
telligence and  experience  to  the  question,  and  whatever 
modes  have  approved  themselves  on  trial,  whether 
among  themselves  or  other  Christians,  whether  in  this 
age  or  other  ages,  they  are  at  perfect  liberty  to  adopt 
and  practice.  In  this  way,  worship,  like  creed-making, 
which  has  been  a  divisive  subject,  is  no  longer  a 
source  of  schism,  but,  belonging  to  the  recognized 
rights  and  duties  of  each  separate  congregation, 
becomes  a  means  of  educating  the  people,  and  making 

their  worship  a  manifestation  of  the  church's  life. 
5 


34  ADDRESS. 

In  this  way,  with  no  departure  from  principle,  our 
communion  may  be  diversified  by  all  the  manifold 
varieties  which  the  hand  and  Spirit  of  God  create, 
and  it  thus  becomes  possible  for  all  true  and  earnest 
Christians  to  find  a  congenial  home  'among  us.  We 
have  nothing  to  fear  from  the  manifoldness  of  method, 
which  earnest  thought  and  freedom  will  generate ;  on 
the  contrary,  our  greatest  danger  is,  that  the  Congre- 
gational polity  will  not  be  put  to  the  proof  by  being 
used,  that  the  right  of  the  people  will  not  also  be 
regarded  as  a  duty.  We  have  left  things  to  drift, 
rather  than  to  be  governed  by  the  enlightened  minds 
and  Spirit-led  consciences  of  our  people,  applying 
themselves,  under  a  sense  of  responsibility,  to  the 
study  of  their  concerns,  and  acting  in  the  exercise  of 
their  best  judgment.  If  Congregational  churches  do 
not  use  their  freedom,  but  allow  themselves  to  be  con- 
trolled by  self-constituted  judges,  and  kept  stationary 
by  the  dead-weight  of  tradition,  they  lose  all  the 
advantages  of  their  distinctive  polity,  while  of  course 
they  fail  of  those  which  are  distinctive  of  centralized 
and  consolidated  church  governments.  Our  fathers 
said  they  came  hither  to  practise  the  positive  part  of 
church  reformation.  In  England  they  were  necessa- 
rily confined  to  the  negative  part :  they  were  protesters., 
deniers.     The  First  Church,   Boston,  was  full  of  this 


ADDRESS.  35 

formative,  originating  life, — "the  most  glorious  church 
in  the  world,"  an  early  New-England  historian  said  he 
really  believed  it  was  ;  and  for  this  very  reason,  that 
they  put  into  practice  whatever  commended  itself  to 
them  as  being  wise  and  good.  What  John  Cotton 
propounded  to  them  out  of  the  Word  of  God,  they 
discussed ;  and  if  they  could  say,  "  It  seems  good  to 
the  Holy  Ghost  and  to  us,"  they  proceeded  to  put  it 
into  legislation,  or  set  it  up  as  an  institution.  This 
is  the  life  of  our  polity ;  it  is  capable  of  indefinite 
expansion,  and  the  hope  of  our  churches  and  of  the 
world  is  in-  it. 

We  must  entertain  a  higher  sense  of  the  supernat- 
ural power  and  sacredness  of  the  local  church,  as 
dwelt  in  by  the  church's  Lord.  It  is  the  most  sacred 
thing  on  earth,  next  to  the  human  soul.  The  church 
is  of  more  importance  than  the  ministry,  for  it  is  the 
author  of  it.  The  minister  is  never  more  truly  Christ's 
servant,  than  when  he  develops  the  individual  life  of 
the  individual  church.  Genius  and  learning  are,  no 
doubt,  precious  gifts,  and  so  precious  that  the  church 
will  be  in  no  danger  of  undervaluing  them.  But 
when  the  minister  overshadows  the  church,  and  the 
people  gather  around  him,  as  the  informing  genius  of 
the  institution,  so  that  when  he  is  present  they  are, 
and  when   he    is    not,  they  are    not,    the    distinctive 


36  ADDRESS. 

marks  of  a  church  are  absent ;  it  is  an  institution, 
but  a  human  one ;  the  sermons  are  orations,  and  the 
life  of  the  church  is  that  of  the  lecture-room,  the 
senate,  or  the  academy. 

I  will  detain  you  to  speak  of  but  one  more  reason 
why  we  should  avow  and  defend  the  polity  of  the  Con- 
gregational churches.  It  is  our  best,  I  think  I  must 
say,  our  only  hope  of  the  unity  of  Christ's  universal 
church.  By  eliminating  legislative  and  judicial  func- 
tions from  the  representative  assemblies  of  our 
churches,  it  takes  away  from  us  the  great  causes  of 
schism  in  all  ages,  and  brings  in  themes  of  universal 
concern  and  sympathy.  It  spends  the  force  of  our 
united  churches  upon  forms  of  power  and  manifesta- 
tions of  life,  which  are  the  highest  and  best.  By  the 
fundamental  law  of  our  system,  the  deliverances  made 
in  general  council  depend  for  their  influence  upon 
the  reason  that  is  in  them.  Two  benefits  flow  from 
this.  The  first  is  to  the  council  itself,  that  it  be 
moved  to  do  nothing,  which  heart  and  mind  alike  are 
not  convinced  of,  and  so  convinced  of,  as  to  be  per- 
suaded of  the  Holy  Spirit's  guidance.  The  other  is 
that  such  deliverances,  when  thus  made,  are  more 
powerful  over  Christian  churches  than  any  other  can 
be.  Their  effect  is  to  be  measured  only  by  the  intel- 
ligence   and   conscience    of    the   people,   which   are 


ADDRESS.  37 

aroused  by  them,  and  made  to  execute  them.  In 
other  words,  this  form  of  church  government  executes 
itself,  and  perhaps  never  more  completely  than  when 
it  rouses  opposition  ;  it  is  bounded  only  by  the  limits 
of  Christianity  itself.  Beyond  this  it  cannot  go,  and 
beyond  this  no  church  power  can  go,  without  injury 
to  Christian  character  and  growth.  No  combinations 
of  Congregational  churches  can  be  made  for  sectarian 
aggrandizement.  They  live  only  in  consenting  judg- 
ments, and    act  only  through  harmonious  spirits. 

But  while  they  are  powerless  for  evil,  they  are 
efficient  for  good.  They  lay  the  foundation  for  co- 
operation among  all  Christians.  On  the  basis 
of  the  divinely  ordered  independence  of  the  local 
church,  including,  as  a  matter  of  course,  the  right  of 
each  body  of  believers  to  form  such  affiliations  as  it 
chooses,  there  is  a  platform  of  union  broad  enough  for 
all  communions. 

This  has  been  beautifully  illustrated  of  late  in  New 
York.  The  council  called  to  install  Mr.  Hepworth 
over  the  "  Church  of  the  Disciples,"  gathered  by  him- 
self, exhibited  what  the  polity  is  capable  of,  which 
conserves  the  autonomy  of  the  local  church,  and  asks 
recognition  from  neighboring  and  differing  commun- 
ions. The  examination,  and  solemn  setting  apart  to 
the  Christian  ministry,  of  a  man  asking  it  in  the  name 


38  ADDRESS. 

of  Christ,  Is  one  of  the  most  distinctive  acts  of  church 
rule.  Denominations  that  can  unite  in  this,  can  unite 
in  all  that  is  necessary  to  express  and  preserve  the 
unity  of  the  church,  —  the  tcnity  of  the  Spirit  in  the 
bond  of  peace.  But  that  council,  summoned  to  do  that 
work  and  doing  it,  was  made  up  of  representatives 
from  churches  differing  from  one  another  in  many 
and  confessedly  important  subjects  of  doctrine  and 
polity.  Besides  Congregationalists,  there  were  Bap- 
tist, Episcopal,  Methodist,  and  Presbyterian  delegates. 
We  have  no  disposition  to  claim  it  as  a  Congrega- 
tional body,  in  any  sectarian  and  divisive  sense ;  we 
repudiate  the  claim,  and  the  spirit  that  makes  it.  We 
only  insist  upon  it,  that  there  is  a  common  and  recog- 
nized polity  among  us,  upon  which  all  churches  of 
Christ  can  meet  and  act  together,  without  dishonor  to 
their  distinctive  views,  with  no  advantage  of  one 
over  the  other,  and  yet  in  the  manifestation  of  a 
real  and  substantial  unity,  finding  a  real  and  sub- 
stantial expression.  In  this  respect  the  "  Church  ot 
the  Disciples "  did  what  the  older  and  honored 
"  Tabernacle  Church  "  did  not  do,  when  calling,  as 
they  recently  did,  a  council  to  install  a  pastor,  coming 
to  them  from  the  Presbyterian  communion,  they 
invited  delegates  from  that  and  other  Christian  bodies, 
as   guests,  and  not   as   constituent   members  of  the 


ADDRESS,  39 

council  without  a  distinction  between  them  and  dele- 
gates from  Congregational  churches.  The  "  Church  of 
the  Disciples,"  in  doing  as  they  have  done,  have  de- 
monstrated a  practicable  way  of  communion  between 
different  Christian  organizations,  and  one  sufficient  for 
practical  purposes,  and  capable  of  application  to  all 
Evangelical  bodies.  Occasion  has  also  been  given  for 
the  manifestation  of  a  most  catholic  spirit,  not  less  on 
the  part  of  those  accepting,  than  on  the  part  of  the 
church  inviting.  The  "  Church  of  the  Holy  Trinity  " 
was  recognized,  as  we  all  recognize  it,  as  a  true  church 
of  Christ,  and  that  church  recognized  the  "  Church  of 
the  Disciples  "  in  the  exercise  of  its  right,  as  on  the 
one  hand  to  unite  with  the  diocese  and  submit  to 
Episcopal  supervision,  so  on  the  other  to  associate 
itself  wath  other  bodies  of  Christian  believers,  not 
united  to  the  diocese,  and  not  subject  to  Episcopal 
oversight.  The  rector  of  that  church,  in  an  admirable 
and  most  Evangelical  charge,  committed  the  care  of 
souls  in  the  newly  gathered  congregation  to  Mr.  Hep- 
worth.  It  was  a  proclamation  to  the  Christians  of 
New^  York,  that  the  Episcopal  ordering  and  classifica- 
tion of  churches  might  remain,  and  still  permit  of  a 
real  and  most  solemn  union  with  non-Episcopal 
churches.  It  was  the  reinauguration  of  the  fellow- 
ship which  subsisted  between  the  Reformed  Church 


40  ADDRESS. 

of  England,  and  the  Reformed  Churches  of  the  Conti- 
nent, in  the  days  of  England's  martyr  bishops  and 
confessors. 

We  are  also  about  to  witness  in  our  country  an 
Ecumenical  Protestant  Council,  representing  all  Evan- 
gelical churches  throughout  Christendom,  and  meeting 
together  on  the  basis  of  their  mutual  independence, 
and  no  less  of  fellowship  and  co-operation,  arising 
from  the  actual  union  existing  between  true  believers. 
They  meet  to  discuss  principles  and  announce  their 
consenting  judgments  respecting  the  world-wide  in- 
terests of  the  church  of  Christ,  and  these  deliverances 
of  theirs  will  have  as  much  power  as  they  ought  to 
have,  that  is  all  that  belongs  to  the  reason  that  is  in 
them,  and  the  mind  of  Christ  they  evince.  Meeting 
on  such  a  basis  as  this,  it  were  absurd  for  one  class  of 
Christians  to  claim  that  another  had  surrendered  any 
distinctive  principle  ;  and  yet  it  is  made  equally  evi- 
dent, that  on  the  basis  of  mutual  independence  and 
consent,  there  is  an  actually  existing  platform,  upon 
which  the  actually  existing  unity  and  coaction  of 
Christians  can  be  expressed. 

In  the  name,  then,  of  our  one  Lord,  and  of  the  one 
church  he  has  founded,  let  us  hold  on  to  the  primitive 
polity,  practised  in  the  Apostles'  days,  and  revived  by 
the  fathers  of  New  England.     It  affords,  we  believe,  a 


ADDRESS. 


41 


hope  of  the  reunion  of  Christendom ;  if  it.  does  not, 
we  wait  for  our  brethren  to  find  another  and  a  better. 
Romanism  has  one  theory  of  the  unity  of  the  church  ; 
Congregationalism  another:  the  world  is  divided 
between  them,  and  we  calmly  await  the  issue. 

Let  us  rise  now,  and  dedicate  this  building  to  God. 
I  see  before  me  the  venerable  man  who  has  been 
designated  to  lead  us  in  this  act.  Let  us  rise 
when  he  rises,  and  give  the  house  to  God,  meaning 
what  this  imports,  that  we  give  ourselves  to  God.  As 
Abraham  Lincoln,  standing  on  the  ever-memorable 
battle-field  of  Gettysburg,  consecrated  that  spot  for- 
ever in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen,  by  giving  him- 
self and  those  who  stood  with  him  to  the  country's 
defence ;  so  let  us  dedicate  this  building,  by  here 
giving  ourselves  to  the  God  whom  our  fathers  served 
in  their  day,  and  by  consecrating  our  children  in  all 
coming  generations  to  serve  Him  in  their  time. 


42  PRAYER. 


PRAYER, 


BY   REV.    EDWARD    N.    KIRK,    D.  D. 


God  of  Abraham,  God  of  Israel,  God  and  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  our  pilgrim  fathers,  obedient  to 
thy  call,  to  glorify  thy  name,  and  for  Zion's  sake,  for- 
sook houses  and  lands,  home  and  country.  Trusting 
thy  promises,  they  toiled  and  suffered;  and  we,  their 
descendants,  are  living  this  day  to  recognize  in  their 
history  and  in  the  results  of  their  sacrifices,  toils,  and 
prayers,  thy  faithfulness.  Oh  God  !  thou  art  faithful ; 
thy  faithfulness  reacheth  unto  the  clouds.  These  men 
relied  upon  thee.  They  hoped  against  hope,  and  we 
live  to  witness  their  hopes  not  only  realized,  but  far 
exceeded.  Thanks  be  to  God  for  the  history  of  the 
Pilgrims.  We  thank  thee.  Oh  God !  that  thou  didst 
vouchsafe  to  them  the  grace  and  light  that  placed 
them  in  advance  of  sages  and  philosophers,  statesmen 
and  churchmen.  Thou,  through  thy  commandments, 
didst  make  them  wiser  than  their  enemies ;  they  had 
more  understanding  than  all  their  teachers,  for  thy 
testimonies  were  their  meditation ;  they  understood 
more  than  the  ancients,  for  they  kept  thy  precepts. 
We  thank  thee  that  the  seed  transported  in  the  May- 
flower has  been  transformed  into  the  glorious  harvest 


PRAYER.  4; 


•0 

now  brightening  the  hills  and  valleys  of  a  continent. 
These  men  we  recognize  as  thine  instrument  to  con- 
struct the  Republic.  We  thank  thee  for  the  Republic, 
and  all  the  principles  incorporated  into  its  institutions. 
To  thy  goodness  we  devoutly  trace  the  fact  that  on 
this  soil  no  tyrant,  civil  or  ecclesiastical,  dictates  to 
our  conscience  ;  that  here  the  Church  and  the  State 
show  the  world  how  to  respect  each  other's  rights,  and 
to  live  in  perfect  harmony.  We  thank  thee  that  from 
Christ  our  fathers  learned  that  the  individual  was  not 
made  for  the  institutions,  but  the  institutions  for  the 
individual  man  ;  that  the  end  of  government  is  to 
secure  the  welfare  of  the  governed,  and  not  of  the 
governing  class ;  that  the  local  church  has  but  one 
master,  the  Saviour,  who  died  for  her ;  that  her  glory 
is  found  not  in  her  hierarchy,  not  in  her  rites,  but  in 
the  presence  and  power  of  thine  indwelling  Spirit. 
We  thank  thee  that  the  Republic  stands,  while  the 
thrones  of  despotism  are  tottering.  We  thank  thee, 
Oh  God,  that  we  are  Congregational  Republicans. 

Father  of  mercies,  God  of  providence,  God  of  all 
grace,  bless  the  Republic.  Make  us  worthy  of  such 
an  ancestry,  such  a  history,  and  of  such  an  inher- 
itance. Vouchsafe  to  us  to  avoid  all  extremes, 
to  combine  a  truly  catholic  spirit  with  loyalty  to  our 
own  convictions,     to  contend    earnestly  for  the  faith 


44  ^^^  y^^' 

once  delivered  to  the  saints,  and  live  in  charity  with 
the  enemies  of  thy  word ;  to  welcome  every  new 
ray  of  light  from  thy  word,  and  humbly  to  follow  only 
the  teachings  of  thy  Spirit. 

We  are  assembled,  our  God  and  Saviour,  to  dedicate 
this  edifice,  erected  in  the  metropolis  of  Pilgrim-land, 
to  thy  service,  to  the  glory  of  the  triune  Jehovah, 
Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  to  the  incarnate  Word, 
the  Lamb  of  God,  now  on  the  central  throne  of  Heaven. 

Under  the  solemn  sense  of  our  responsibility,  and 
in  dependence  on  thy  grace,  we  promise  to  employ 
this  structure  for  no  selfish,  no  party  purpose,  but  for 
the  advancement  of  thy  kingdom  and  glory.  Accept 
the  gift,  and  make  this  home  of  our  hearts,  this  centre 
of  our  interests,  a  fountain  of  light  to  the  perishing 
world. 

Bless  in  thine  infinite  mercy  the  branch  of  thy 
church  we  represent ;  the  members  of  this  body  scat- 
tered through  the  world ;  the  laborers  at  home  and 
abroad,  and  the  institutions  here  concentrated. 

Our  want,  Father,  is  spiritual  life  in  greatly  ad- 
vanced degrees ;  more  of  the  spirit  of  our  blessed 
Lord;  the  love,  the  self-sacrificing  love,  that  brought 
Him  to  clothe  his  Deity  with  our  humanity. 

Accept  this  expression  of  our  thankfulness,  and 
grant  these  requests,  for  Jesus'  sake.     Amen. 


DEA.   EZRA   EARNS  WORTH. 


45 


DEA.  EZRA  FARNSWORTH 

Was  Introduced  as  Chairman  of  the  Building  Com- 
mittee,  and  as  one  who  had  taken  a  deep  interest  in 
this  enterprise  for  years ;  and  though  at  the  head  of  a 
firm  doing  a  large  business,  had  given  freely  of  his 
time  and  money  for  its  accomplishment. 

After  alluding  to  the  unfriendly  criticisms  that  had 
been  made  upon  our  adding  wooden  fronts  to  these 
granite  buildings,  he  said  the  committee  were  not 
unaware  of  the  incongruity :  but  necessity  knows  no 
law ;  we  must  have  the  income. 

When  we  began  our  alterations  and  repairs,  we  ex- 
pected that  with  the  funds  and  subscriptions  we  had 
in  hand,  and  what  we  expected  to  receive  from  the 
Fair,  and  other  sources,  we  should  have  completed 
our  plans,  which  included  the  exterior  of  the  Library 
Building,  and  taken  possession  of  our  house  free  from 
debt  above  the  mortgages.  But  circumstances  beyond 
our  control  reduced  our  receipts  from  the  Fair,  and  the 
fire  reduced  our  receipts  and  added  to  our  expenses  in 
various  ways,  so  that  we  find  ourselves  somewhat  in 
debt.  Our  rentals  will  be  ^25,000 —  upwards  — which 
will  pay  our  annual  interest,  our  current  expenses,  and 


46  REMARKS  OF 

leave,  probably,  five  to  seven  thousand  dollars  yearly 
for  a  sinking  fi.md,  when  once  our  floating  debt  is  paid. 

This  is  a  day  of  rejoicing  ;  we  do  not  solicit  to-day, 
we  only  give  information.  Our  work  has  been  done 
under  the  direction  of  Cummings  &  Sears,  architects. 
Whittlesey  &  Coffin  have  done  the  stone  and  brick 
work,  Mr.  Wm.  Hunt  the  carpentry,  Messrs.  Smith 
the  iron  work,  Mr.  Perry  the  painting,  and  Mr.  Walker 
the  steam  heating;  and,  on  the  whole,  it  has  been  done 
to  the  satisfaction  of  the  committee,  and,  we  trust,  to 
the  satisfaction  of  our  friends  present. 

One  of  the  largest  contracts,  and  some  of  the  others, 
have  been  already  settled  within  the  sums  agreed 
upon. 

The  Congregational  House  is  no  longer  a  myth,  a 
prophecy,  but  an  actual,  substantial  reality. 

Our  benevolent  societies  will  nearly  all  be  gathered 
within  its  walls,  and  most  of  them  without  increase  of 
expense.  The  American  Board  will  pay  less  rent  for 
the  thirteen  rooms  they  will  occupy  here,  than  they 
will  receive  for  the  house  they  leave,  and  these  rents 
will  be  reduced  as  our  sinking  fund  increases. 

The  most  powerful,  puissant  forces  of  nature  are 
silent.  Who  can  tell  how  much  yonder  shaft  on  Bun- 
ker Hill  has  done  to  stimulate  and  perpetuate  love  of 
country?     Who  can  estimate  what  Congregationalism 


DEA.   EZRA   FARNSWORTH.  47 

has  done,  and  may  do,  yes,  must  do  in  the  future  of 
our  land. 

This  is  an  epoch  in  our  history.  We  have  now  a 
home.  We  will  put  upon  these  massive,  granite  walls, 
in  letters  of  bronze  or  iron,  Congregational  House,  so 
that  our  children,  and  our  children's  children,  and  every 
passer-by,  may  see  the  name.  As  every  addition  of 
strength  and  vital  force  at  the  heart  reports  itself  at  the 
extremities,  so  what  we  do  here  to-day  will  be  felt  by 
every  Congregational  church  from  Maine  to  Texas,  and 
from  Boston  to  the  Pacific  coast.  Yes,  and  by  every 
church  gathered  in  heathen  lands  by  the  American 
Board  the  world  over,  and  by  every  missionary.  There 
is  a  vast  amount  of  latent  power  in  our  Congregational 
churches  that  has  never  been  made  available.  The 
social  element  has  not  been  utilized ;  but  now  that  we 
have  a  home  for  the  Congregational  Club,  we  hope  to 
make  it  available.  The  first  stone  house  ever  built  in 
Boston  was  built  on  this  very  spot  210  years  ago,  by 
Rev.  James  Allen,  and  occupied  by  him  and  his  family 
for  about  150  years,  when  this  house  was  begun.  It  is 
fitting  that  our  Congregational  House  should  stand  oh 
this  historic  spot.  My  experience  and  observation 
have  convinced  me  that  to  ensure  success  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  the  man  of  business,  and  the  benevolent 
society  as  well,  must  keep  abreast  of  the  times  in  loca- 


48  REMARKS  OF 

tion  and  appointments.  When  our  fire-proof  library 
building  is  completed  our  work  will  be  done,  and  we 
shall  look  upon  1873  as  a  year  long  to  be  remembered 
with  pleasure  by  our  denomination. 


REV.  RUFUS  ANDERSON.  D.D.. 

Was  to  have  made  "brief  remarks,"  but  was  kept 
away  by  sickness.  These,  which  he  has  been  request- 
ed to  write  out,  would  have  been  substantially  as 
follows :  — 

It  was  my  privilege  to  be  among  the  first  to  embark 
in  this  enterprise,  and  my  name  appears  among  the 
original  corporators.  The  Congregational  Library 
was  at  first  the  leading  idea  of  Dr.  Joseph  S.  Clark,  the 
Secretary,  and  hence  the  Association  was  popularly 
known,  for  a  time,  as  the  Congregational  Library  As- 
sociation ;  but  with  me,  while  I  did  not  undervalue  the 
Library,  the  grand  idea  was  a  Congregational  House, 
as  a  central  point  and  hive  of  the  denomination. 
Unity  of  feeling,  purpose,  and  aim  was  what  we 
needed  as  a  denomination,  and  I  believed  Boston  to 
be  the  place,  and  the  only  place,  for  the  Congrega- 
tional House. 

As  one  of  the  directors,  I  went  to  the  extent  of  my 
ability,  in  co-operation  with  my  brethren,  for  securing 


REV.  RUFUS  AMDERSON,  D.  D  49 

this  all-Important  result,  until  I  was  haj^py  to  see,  at 
a  recent  period,  that  the  thing  was  secure. 

But  you  will  allow  me  to  say,  that,  in  all  my  public 
life,  I  have  never  been  so  painfully  conscious  of  dis- 
couragements ;  and  it  sometimes  seemed  as  if  there 
was  no  body  of  Christians  in  pur  country,  in  which  the 
deiiominatio7ial  feeling  was  so  weak,  as  in  our  own 
Congregational  body.  I  mean  something  very  unlike 
the  sectarian  feeling ;  something  higher,  nobler,  rejoic- 
ing in  the  prosperity  of  every  section  of  Christ's  king- 
dom, but  intent  on  doing  its  own  appropriate  work. 
What  we  specially  needed  was  some  acknowledged 
sign  of  unity  among  us,  some  recognized  central  point, 
which  should  become  a  common  resort,  where  we 
should  feel  at  home,  and  could  meet  together  without 
ceremony  and  form,  in  our  own  home  as  Congrega 
tional  brethren. 

That  which  I  earnestly  desired  to  see  before  I  died, 
we  now  behold,  —  all  except  the  Library  !  The  spa- 
cious buildino;  we  now  dedicate  to  the  service  of  God 
stands  grandly  in  the  centre  of  the  city,  in  the  religious 
centre  of  our  denomination,  and,  for  aught  I  know,  in 
the  centre  of  the  universe ;  and  our  societies  will  short- 
ly be  at  home  here,  working  under  one  roof,  in  one 
spirit,  and  to  the  same  great  end.  Would  that  the  Li- 
brary building  were  also  completed ;  and  then  we  could 


50  REMARKS   OF 

lay  the  top-stone  with  shoutings  of  grace,  grace !  But 
the  walls  of  the  fire-proof  Library  are  already  up,  and 
we  have  an  invaluable  collection  of  denominational 
and  missionary  literature  ready  to  go  into  it,  and  the 
great  enterprise  will  soon  be  completed.  We  have 
begun  to  build  as  a  denomination,  in  the  name  of  the 
King  of  Zion,  and  He  will  enable  us  to  finish. 


REV.  ISAAC  P.  LANGWORTHY, 

Corresponding  Secretary  and  Financial  Agent  of  the  Association, 
on  being  introduced,  spoke  substantially  as  foltows  :  — 

Mr.  President,  and  Friends: 

I  rejoice  in  being  able  to  congratulate  the  directors 
of  the  American  Congregational  Association,  on  so 
far  completing  a  work  which  has  borne  so  heavily  for 
so  long  a  time  upon  their  shoulders.  From  the  Chair- 
man of  the  Building  Committee  you  have  just  heard ; 
but  of  his  patient  and  self-sacrificing  labors  in  this 
behalf,  it  is  but  just  that  I  should  on  this  occa- 
sion bear  unequivocal  testimony.  The  President  of 
the  Association,  from  whom  you  have  also  heard, 
and  who  is  also  a  member  of  that  committee,  has 
been  from  the  beginning  a  ready  and  willing  helper 
in  the  same  direction.     Another  of  the  five,  J.  P.  Mel- 


KEV.  ISAAC  P.  LANG  IVOR  THl.  5  I 

ledge,  Esq.,  and  from  whom  you  will  not  hear,  was  • 
for  fifteen  years  the  Treasurer  of  this  Association, 
and  thus  understood  both  its  needs  and  resources. 
He  has  freely  given  the  timely  aid  his  peculiar  advan- 
tages have  qualified  him  to  impart.  Another,  H.  D. 
Hyde,  Esq.,  from  whose  zeal  and  counsel  much  could 
well  be  hoped  for,  was,  early  in  our  work,  stricken 
down  by  severe  sickness,  from  which  he  has  not  en- 
tirely recovered.  All  along,  this  committee  have  had 
the  sympathy  and  co-operation  of  the  entire  board  of 
directors,  who  deserve  and  must  receive  the  sincere 
thanks  of  the  membership  of  the  Congregational 
churches  throughout  the  land,  for  their  gratuitous 
services  and  liberal  gifts  to  secure  this  Congregational 
House.  They  may  justly  felicitate  themselves  upon 
the  pleasing  success  already  realized,  and  which  you 
to-day  can  both  see  and  enjoy. 

I  rejoice  that  our  good  mother,  Congregationalism, 
who  placed  her  foot  upon  this  identical  rock  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty-two  years  ago,  and  has  not  had  from 
that  time  to  this  a  spot  on  earth  she  could  call  her 
own,  at  last  has  a  home.  She  has  deserved  better  of 
those  to  whom  she  committed,  and  for  whom  she  has 
done,  so  much.  Long  has  there  been  a  great  need  of 
such  a  structure,  embracing  her  history,  and  illustrat- 
ing   her   principles  and  polity,  "  forming  a  centre  of 


5  2  REMARKS   OF 

patriotic  and  religious  reminiscence  for  New  England, 
and  for  all  the  descendants  of  the  Pilgrims,  the  shrine 
to  which  those  who  revere  the  memory  of  the  great  and 
the  good  and  the  learned  of  past  ages  might  repair." 

I  rejoice  that,  as  a  branch  of  the  great  Christian 
family,  we  have  now  a  centre  of  correspondence  here, 
answering  to  the  important  position  the  Congrega- 
tional churches  have  been  called  of  God  to  occupy 
in  the  Christian  world.  It  may  not  be  apparent  to 
you  how  this  strong  statement  can  be  justified.  But, 
for  a  moment,  see  what  an  amount  of  original,  spirited, 
and  valuable  religious  reading  will  issue  from  this 
building  weekly,  monthly,  quarterly,  annually.  "  The 
Congregationalist,"  among  the  best,  if  not  the  very 
best  religious  paper  in  the  country,  —  and  will,  doubt- 
less, be  improved,  when  in  its  new  and  enlarged  quar- 
ters here, — will  go  forth  twenty-seven  thousand  strong 
every  seven  days.  "  The  Well-Spring,"  our  children's 
overflowing  fountain,  will  divide  itself  into  forty  thou- 
sand little  streamlets  every  week,  running  every 
whither.  "  The  Missionary  Herald,"  confessedly  the 
ablest  missionary  periodical  in  our  language,  will 
greet  its  readers  with  its  thirty  thousand  copies  every 
month.  "  Life  and  Light  for  Woman,"  ten  thousand 
copies,  and  "  Echoes  from  Light  and  Life,"  eight 
thousand  copies,  will  go  every  month.     "The  Advo- 


REV.  ISAAC  p.  LANGWORTHY.  en 

cate  of  Peace,"  forty-five  hundred,  and  "Angel  of 
Peace,"  ten  thousand  copies,  twelve  times  told  every 
year.  "  The  Congregational  Quarterly,"  two  thousand 
copies  every  three  months,  a  periodical  too  valuable 
and  important  not  to  be  more  widely  circulated  and 
better  appreciated.  Of  these  various  issues  alone 
there  will  be  sent,  in  every  direction,  four  millions 
two  hundred  and  thirty-six  thousand  copies  annually. 
And  besides  these,  there  will  be  the  continuous  issues 
of  the  Congregational  Publishing  Society,  in  volumes, 
tracts,  leaflets,  etc., —  the  Home  Missionary  for  New 
England,  the  annual  reports  of  all  these  societies  ; 
also,  appeals,  circulars,  and  letters,  beyond  computa- 
tion, from  all  these  rooms,  reaching  every  jDart  of  the 
known  world,  so  that  you  may  be  assured  more  that  is 
of  value  to  the  world  will  go  from  this  building,  and 
more  will  be  received  in  response  that  the  friends  of 
evangelization  will  want  to  know,  than  from  and  to 
any  other  thirteen  thousand  and  three  hundred  square 
feet  of  earth  to  be  found  upon  its  surface.  This  house 
will  be  a  centre  of  correspondence  indeed,  —  a  light,  a 
city  set  upon  a  hill. 

I  rejoice  that  our  ministers  have  a  place  where  they 
can  meet  at  their  pleasure,  and  feel  they  have  a  right 
,to  be.  Long  has  such  a  place  been  very  much  needed 
for  this  purpose.     The  pastors'  meeting,  as  it  is  called. 


54  REMARKS   OF 

has  been  "carted"  from  room  to  room,  begging  or 
hiring  its  limited  privileges,  but  having  no  permanent 
abiding  place.  Captain  Robert  Keayne  set  apart,  in 
his  will  of  1653,  a  small  sum  to  provide  "a  room  for 
the  elders  to  meet  in  and  confer  together  when  they 
have  occasion  to  come  to  town  for  any  such  ends,  as  I 
perceive  they  have  many."  This  was  wise  ;  and  had 
his  benevolent  intentions  been  executed,  the  Congrega- 
tional ministry  of  Boston,  and  the  region  round  about, 
would  have  been  greatly  helped.  At  length  the  boon 
is  vouchsafed,  and  these  pleasant  rooms  are  now  at 
their  disposal. 

I  rejoice  that  our  churches  have,  at  last,  dared  to 
lift  up  their  banner  to  public  view ;  that  they  are 
beginning  to  recognize  the  right  and  privilege  01 
being  known,  and  of  calling  themselves  by  their  own 
name,  without  apology ;  that  they  are  now  willing  to 
confess  to  a  family  relationship  that  will  justify  the 
erection  of  this  structure  as  a  symbol  of  their  polity 
and  principles;  while,  by  priority  of  possession  .and 
means,  if  for  no  other  reasons,  they  might  long  ago 
have  taken  advantage  of  such  an  essential  help  for 
every  good  work ;  yet,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  they  have 
been  the  last  in  the  brotherhood  of  Evangelical 
churches  to  build  for  themselves  a  family  house.  We 
may  well  take  heart  and  give  thanks,  to-day,  that  at 


REV.  ISAAC  P.  LANG  WORTHY.  55 

length  we  shall  be  able  to  point  to  one  spot  where 
Congregationalism  can  be  found,  —  where  its  history 
may  be  learned,  and  its  moral  and  Christian  forces  can 
be  made  more  available  and  efficient.  Upon  this 
plain,  simple,  substantial,  and  imposing  structure,  the 
passer-by  may  look  as  a  memorial  of,  and  a  living 
monument  to,  the  founders  of  our  churches,  —  to  the 
men  who  laid  the  groundwork  of  our  free  civil  insti- 
tutions,—  upon  this  building  they  may  look  as  an 
expression  of  our  appreciation  of  the  great  w^ork  these 
fathers  performed,  and  of  our  estimate  of  the  value 
t)f  the  glorious  inheritance  they  so  freely  bequeathed 
to  us. 

I  rejoice  that  our  benevolent  societies,  having  offi- 
ces in  this  city,  are  now  brought  together  under  one 
roof,  —  thus  greatly  subserving  the  convenience  of 
their  constituency.  Their  work  is  one  work ;  neither 
of  these  great  agencies  can  dispense  with  either.  The 
missionary  societies  must  have  missionaries;  and  to 
educate  these,  we  must  have  literary  institutions ;  and 
poor,  pious  students  must  be  helped  into  the  ministry 
or  never  reach  it ;  and  the  feeble,  struggling  church,  to 
become  self-supporting,  and  hence  a  power  for  good, 
must  have  its  sanctuary  ;  and  thus  each  of  these  great 
benevolences  is  inseparably  interlocked  with,  and  sup- 
plements, every  other;  and  why  should  they  not  be 


56  REMARKS  OF 

brought  into  more  intimate  relationship  as  co-workers 
in  a  common  cause?  The  more  closely  we  can  unite 
them,  the  more  cordially  will  they  affiliate,  and  so 
become  more  and  more  mutual  helpers.  Hitherto  I 
have  been  in  the  habit  of  taking  contributions  for  all 
these  organizations,  to  accommodate  the  treasurers  or 
pastors  of  out-of-town  churches,  to  save  them  the 
necessity  of  losing  their  home-train  or  carrying  back 
their  money,  —  and  I  have  paid  them  over,  —  not 
always  to  my  convenience.  Hereafter,  if  any  society 
fails  ".to  put  in  its  appearance  "  here,  where  all  belong, 
its  intended  contribution,  left  with  me,  may  fail  to- 
reach  its  destination. 

I  rejoice  that  we  have,  at  least,  the  shell  of  a  fire- 
proof Library ;  the  beginning  of  the  beginning  is 
secured.  The  gathering  and  preserving  a  Congrega- 
tional Library  for  use  was  a  primary  object  of  this 
organization,  and  it  has  never  been  lost  sight  of  in  the 
somewhat  more  complex  character  of  the  work  we 
have  inaugurated.  Indeed,  the  further  we  have  gone, 
the  more  this  primal  object  has  risen  in  importance. 
It  is  believed  we  now  have  the  best  collection  of  books, 
pamphlets,  and  sermons,  which  state  and  illustrate  our 
principles  and  polity,  to  be  found  in  any  public  library 
in  our  country;  and  there  waits  the  completion  of 
our   fire-proof   building,    the   best    private   library    in 


REV.   ISAAC  P.  LANGWORTHY.  57 

these  same  particulars  known  to  me,  the  life-work  of 
a  most  capable,  indefatigable,  and  successful  searcher 
after  original  papers,  documents,  and  mementos  of  the 
first  settlers  of  New  England,  —  an  invaluable  collec- 
tion, —  to  be  gratuitously  added  to  ours  if  we  finish 
in  season  to  secure  it.  These,  together,  would  make 
this,  unquestionably,  the  best  Congregational  Library 
in  the  world.  May  God,  in  infinite  mercy,  put  it  into 
the  heart  or  hearts  of  some  noble  giver  or  givers  to 
place  the  indispensable  twenty-five  thousand  dollars  in 
our  hands  to  finish,  at  once,  what  we  have  here  so  well 
begun!  Besides  this  waiting  gift,  there  is  another 
most  carefully-selected  theological  library,  the  dying 
bequest  of  one  of  our  ablest  divines,  now  in  the  hands 
of  his  widow,  also  waiting  the  safe  place  here  for  its 
ultimate  deposit.  Besides  these,  there  are  other  simi- 
lar valuables  known  to  me,  that  will  be  ours  only  when 
this  so  much  needed  Library  building  is  ready  for  their 
reception.  A  treasure  so  valuable  and  so  nearly  in 
possession  ought  not,  must  not,  be  allowed  to  elude  us. 
I  rejoice  that  now  we  are  in  a  position,  as  never 
before,  to  do  more  and  more  effective  work  for  the 
conversion  of  the  world  to  Christ.  Our  working 
forces  are  brought  together ;  our  different  channels  of 
Christian  labor  are  found  to  be  in  parallels  and  not  at 
angles.     We  are  in   more   favorable   circumstances  to 


58  REMARKS  OF 

know  each  other,  and  so  increase  brotherly  love,  and 
strengthen  the  bonds  of  Christian  fellowship.  Thus 
shall  we  be  more  and  more  mutual  helpers  in  the 
Christian  life,  and  so  honor  Christ.  This  house  is 
Christ's  house.  It  was  begun  in  His  name,  and  it 
has  thus  far  been  completed  by  His  favor,  and  for  His 
glory  we  hope  soon  to  bring  the  top-stone  with  shout- 
ings, crying,  "  Grace,  grace  unto  it  ! " 


REV.  H.  M.  DEXTER,  D.  D.. 

Presented  a  part  of  a  hewn  stone  window-cap  taken 
by  himself  from  the  ruins  of  the  old  Manor  House  at 
Scrooby,  in  which : —  while  it  was  occupied  by  William 
Brewster  —  the  Mayflower  church  was  cradled.  He 
exhibited  also  one  of  the  rudely-carved  oaken  beams 
from  the  wooden  ceiling  of  the  little  chapel  of  the 
Manor  House,  which  beam,  in  his  opinion,  was  over 
the  heads  of  the  little  company  when  they  covenanted 
together  "  to  walk  in  all  His  ways  made  known  or  to 
be  made  known  to  them,  at  whatever  cost,  the  Lord 
assisting  them." 


TIMOTHY  GORDON,   M.  D.  59 


TIMOTHY  GORDON,  M.  D. 

If  my  name  had  not  been  announced  among  those 
who  were  expected  to  make  "  brief  remarks,"  I  cer- 
tainly should  not  attempt  to  address  you.  And  had  I 
known  before  I  left  home  that  it  was  thus  inserted,  I 
should  not  have  been  here  at  all. 

But  as  my  friend,  Mr.  Langworthy,  whom  I  never 
saw  until  I  came  into  the  building  to-day,  took  me 
so  cordially  by  the  hand,  with  the  pleasant  expression, 
"  I  am  glad  to  see  you,"  which  reminded  me  of  my 
old  friend.  Dr.  James  Jackson,  of  this  city,  who,  at 
a  meeting  of  the  Massachusetts  Medical  Society,  took 
me  by  the  hand,  in  the  same  felicitous  manner,  say- 
ing, "  We  must  all  be  friends  to-day,  whether  we  have 
had  a  formal  introduction  or  not,"  —  so  I  feel  we  are 
all  friends  here  to-day. 

I  think  I  stand  in  rather  an  unenviable  position, 
without  any  opportunity  to  make  preparation. 

"  Brief  remarks."  I  think  that  is  wise  so  far  as  it 
refers  to  me,  because  it  must  be  a  relief  to  the  audi- 
ence. 

But  I  am  here  only  to  identify  the  genuineness  of 
this  piece  of  rock.  Allow  me  here  to  correct  one  or 
two   misstatements.     I   am  not  the    Treasurer  of  the 


6o  REMARKS   OF 

Pilgrim  Society,  and  never  have  been, —  Isaac  N.  Stod- 
dard, Esq.,  is  the  Treasurer,  —  and  that  this  piece  of 
rock  is  not  the  gift  of  myself  alone.  I  stated  to  the 
Vice-President  and  to  several  of  the  Trustees,  that  it 
was  desirable  that  a  piece  of  the  rock  on  which  the 
Pilgrims  landed  should  occupy  some  suitable  place  in 
the  Congregational  House  in  prospect  of  being  erected. 
They  all  very  generously  told  me  to  select  such  a  piece 
as  I  thought  proper,  and  present  it ;  and  this  is  the 
result.  I  supposed  the  piece  of  rock  would  occupy 
some  conspicuous  place  on  the  front,  or  in  some  suit 
able  "  niche,"  and  hope  it  will  eventually  be  so.  If  I 
had  known  that  it  was  to  be  placed  in  the  library,  I 
should  have  selected  a  differently-shaped  piece  much 
less  in  size. 

I  can  assure  you  that  it  is  a  part  of  the  rock  upon 
which  the  Pilgrim  fathers  and  mothers  first  landed 
in  Plymouth  in  1620.  I  saw  it  broken  from  that 
rock,  and  have  been  its  custodian  more  than  twelve 
years,  with  all  that  was  taken  from  it  at  the  time  of 
laying  the  foundation  of  the  present  canopy  which 
now  covers  its  entire  surface.  At  that  time  it  was 
raised  from  its  bed,  and  portions  split  off,  to  admit  the 
corner-stones  of  the  canopy  to  occupy  their  proper 
positions.  The  largest  part  then  taken  off  has  been 
disposed  of,  the  avails  of  which  have  been  paid  towards 


GOVERNOR    WASHBURN:  6 1 

finishing  the  canopy  and  the  grounds  surrounding  it. 
And  this  piece,  which  is  now  presented  to  the  Congre- 
gational House,  is  fully  one  tenth  of  all  that  is  left, 
which  was  taken  off  at  the  time  it  was  raised.  As  it 
is  now  placed  no  more  can  be  taken  from  it.  It  is 
now  very  valuable  ;  is  sought  after  for  jewelry,  being 
susceptible  of  a  beautiful  finish. 

The  Pilgrim  Society  would  be  glad  to  have  one 
hundred  persons  give  in  their  names  to  become  mem- 
bers, which  would  furnish  five  hundred  dollars  to 
help  build  a  flight  of  stone  steps,  in  ascending  "  Coles' 
Hill  "  from  the  canopy.  I  think  it  is  very  proper  that 
these  two  relics  of  antiquity  should  be  placed  side  by 
side,  —  the  stone  from  Scrooby,  the  starting-point  of 
the  Pilgrims,  who  went  out,  not  knowing  whither  they 
went,  guided  by  an  unseen  hand,  across  the  ocean  to 
this  very  Plymouth  Rock,  leaving  an  imaginary  bright 
and  luminous  pathway  which  will  never  be  obliterated. 


GOV.  WASHBURN'S  REMARKS. 

Mr.  President,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen  :  —  I  am 
happy  to  be  present  on  this  most  interesting  occasion. 
For  the  first  time  we  are  gathered  in  a  building  that 
we    may  call  our   own,  a  building  belonging  to  the 


62  REMARKS   OF 

Congregationalists  of  the  country,  set  apart  for  their 
special  uses  and  as  their  home.  I  hope  no  mere  sec- 
tarian idea  will  ever  cause  us  to  forget  that  Christian- 
ity is  above  all  sects ;  and  yet  I  do  not  deny  that  I  have 
a  strong  feeling  of  satisfaction  that  we  are  permitted, 
as  a  denomination,  to  occupy  this  house. 

Coming  to  this  city  mostly  unacquainted  with  you, 
the  Congregational  Club  opened  its  doors  and  wel- 
comed me  to  its  gatherings.  I  have  enjoyed  the  fellow- 
ship of  its  members  and  the  benefit  of  their  counsels, 
and  I  wish  here  and  now  to  return  my  thanks  to  them 
for  their  kindness.  But  notwithstanding  their  courtesy 
and  generosity,  I  confess  that  I  have  felt  myself  in  some 
sense  an  interloper.  I  have  been  as  one  treading  on 
foreign  ground.  But  I  shall  not  be  troubled  in  that 
way  any  longer.  For  I  feel  now  very  much  like  the 
boy  of  whom  you  have  read,  who  was  examining  that 
beautiful  little  ship,  the  Morning  Star,  which  has  been 
an  instrument  of  so  much  good  to  millions  in  foreign 
lands,  when  one  of  the  hands  on  the  vessel  treated 
him  roughly  and  ordered  him  to  leave  the  deck.  He 
replied,  "  I  shall  not  do  it ;  I  am  a  stockholder  in  this 
ship ;  I  have  my  certificate  of  stock  ;  you  cannot 
deprive  me  of  my  rights."  I  recollect  that  soon  after 
the  enterprise  to  secure  this  building  was  entered  upon, 
I  was  visited  in  the  western  part  of  the  State  by  your 


GOVERNOR    WASHBURN.  63 

agent,  and  contributed  my  mite  towards  the  fund  re- 
quired, and  hence  became  a  stockholder,  and  thus  have 
my  rights  here  to-day.  And  I  am  specially  gratified 
that  I  have  an  opportunity  now  to  welcome  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Congregational  Club  to  our  rooms. 

We  have  rallying  points  for  clubs  and  associations 
on  every  hand,  —  one  or  more  on  nearly  every  impor- 
tant street  in  the  city.  There  is  power  in  combination. 
The  good  men  and  women  whom  I  see  before  me  to- 
day believe  in  unity  of  action.  But  under  whatever 
banner  we  enlist,  and  whatever  the  name  thereon 
inscribed,  we  should  not  forget  that  the  value  of  our 
efforts  will  be  measured  by  the  good  we  accomplish. 
This  noble  building,  to-day  dedicated  to  the  uses  of 
Congregationalism,  is  valuable  just  in  proportion  as  it 
enables  those  who  gather  here  to  devise  and  carry  out 
plans  for  the  benefit  of  mankind.  May  it  prove  a 
source  from  which  will  flow  influences  calculated  to 
elevate  and  ennoble  all  ranks  and  classes  of  society ! 
May  light  and  warmth  radiate  from  this  centre  to 
every  quarter  of  the  globe,  till  the  principles  of  Chris- 
tianity are  everywhere  triumphant! 


64  REMARKS   OF 


HON.   EMORY  WASHBURN. 

Mr.  Washburn  said  that  he  inferred,  from  being 
called  upon  to  speak  on  this  occasion,  while  sur- 
rounded by  such  a  brilliant  constellation  of  clerical 
talent,  that  he  was  expected  to  say  a  word  of  our  Puri- 
tan ancestors  in  their  character  as  legislators.  The 
subject  was  especially  suited  to  the  occasion,  since 
nothing  was  a  surer  test  of  the  character,  intelligence, 
and  habits  of  thought  of  a  people  than  their  laws.  We 
had  only  to  trace  these  to  read  the  history  of  a  nation, 
and  of  the  moral  and  social  changes  through  which  it 
has  passed,  which  have  found  expression  in  the  legisla- 
tion in  which  they  have  been  recorded.  It  is  through 
her  laws  that  a  nation  gives  us  an  insight  into  her 
inner  life,  of  which  we  gain  little  by  the  ordinary 
events  which  are  recorded  in  history.  This  is  espe- 
cially true  of  the  Puritans  of  Massachusetts,  who  have 
left  a  faithful  record  of  their  entire  legislation  under 
the  colony  charter,  without  concealing  or  coloring  a 
thought  or  an  action.  And  though  this  has  supplied 
a  text  for  many  a  third-rate  politician,  whose  claim 
to  smartness  seems  to  have  rested  mainly  upon  the 
degree  of  severity  with   which   he   has  flippantly  de- 


HON.  EMORY  WASHBURN.  65 

nounced  the  bigotry  and  intolerance  of  the  Puritans, 
Mr.  Washburn  would  venture  to  affirm  that  a  wiser  or 
more  liberal  policy  never  characterized  the  legislation 
of  any  people  than  marked  the  laws  which  those  same 
Puritans  adopted  for  the  growth  and  development  oi 
what  they  came  here  to  found, —  a  Christian  Common- 
wealth. 

In  the  few  moments  allotted  to  him,  it  would  be 
impossible  to  illustrate  this  remark  by  reciting  any 
number  of  the  more  remarkable  of  those  laws;  but  he 
would  venture  to  allude  to  one,  which  has  been  so 
often  referred  to  as  evidence  of  the  narrow  and  sec- 
tarian zeal  of  the  early  founders  of  the  colony.  The 
one  he  had  in  mind  related  to  requiring  all  freemen 
to  be  members  of  some  church,  thus  makine  church- 
membership  a  qualification  as  a  voter.  How  often  had 
they  heard  this  "  union  of  church  and  state,"  this 
"  bigoted  exclusiveness  "  in  the  election  of  their  offi- 
cers, made  the  ground  of  obloquy  and  reproach  upon 
these  men,  by  orators  and  critics  who,  probably,  never 
stopped  to  ask  why  such  a  law  was  adopted.  A  law 
is  wise  and  liberal,  or  otherwise,  according  as  it  is 
suited  to  the  condition  of  the  people  for  whom  it  is 
.  made.  What,  then,  was  the  condition  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts colony  when  that  law  was  passed  1  It  bears 
date  May,  1631,  less  than  one  year  after  the  govern- 


66  REMARKS  OF 

ment  had  been  organized  under  Winthrop,  and  before 
it  had  become  settled  and  established.     The  system 
under  the  charter  was   wellnigh    a   pure   democracy. 
Every  freeman  of  the  colony  had  a  right,  and  for  some 
years  after  its  founding  exercised  it,  to  take  a  part  in 
its  administration,  by  choosing  officers,  admitting  free- 
men, and  administering  justice  in  popular  assemblies, 
where  all    came    together   and    acted    by    majorities. 
The  colony  had  left  many  active  and  determined  ene- 
mies at  home,  ready  to  seize  upon  any  pretence  for 
depriving  it  of  its  free  charter.     In  the  planting  of  all 
new  colonies  there  is  a  class  of  restless  and  uneasy 
spirits  who,  having  nothing  to  lose,  are  ready  to  find 
their  way  into  the  new  settlements  as  they  are  formed, 
with  a  view  to  promote  their  own  ends,  or  to  escape 
the   restraints  of  salutary  laws.     There  were  such  in 
and  around  the  Massachusetts  colony  from  the    first. 
In  the  hands  of  their  enemies,  or  unprincipled  men, 
the  government  was  not   safe  a   moment.     The  pur- 
poses for  which  they  had  come  here  would  be  defeated, 
and  the  sacrifices  to  which  they  had  been  subjected 
would  be  wholly  lost  to  their  posterity  as  well  as  to 
themselves.     They  sought,  therefore,   to  check  such 
intruders,  by  prescribing  some  safeguard  in  the  form 
of  a  qualification  to  the  becoming   a  freeman.     And 
why  did  they  do   it  1     They  have  told   us  in  the   Ian- 


HON.   EMORY  WASHBURN.  6 J 

guage  of  the  act  itself:  "  To  the  end,  the  Body  of  the 
Commons  may  be  preserved  honest  and  good  men." 
Here  was  the  reason.  The  peace  and  good  order  ot 
the  state,  —  not  a  word  said  of  giving  power  to  the 
church.  Indeed,  there  was  no  one  church  known. 
The  churches  were  organizations,  independent  of  each 
other,  and  independent  of  the  state.  So  far  from 
aiming  to  confer  power  upon  the  church  as  a  body,  we 
find  a  statute  in  1641  expressly  declaring  that  church 
censures  should  not  affect  the  civil  rights  of  any  one. 

But  to  test  the  character  and  spirit  of  these  legisla- 
tors, and  the  working  of  this  restrictive  law,  what  evi- 
dence do  we  find  in  the  legislation  which  followed  ? 
In  1 64 1,  the  members  of  the  General  Court,  chosen 
by  such  electors  as  these,  adopted  and  published  to 
the  world,  forty-one  years  before  the  English  Bill  of 
Rights  had  been  declared,  a  "  Body  of  Liberties," 
which  was  drawn  up  by  a  Congregational  minister,  for, 
as  they  say,  "  the  free  fruition  of  such  liberties,  immu- 
nities, and  privileges  as  humanity,  civility,  and  Chris- 
tianity call  for,  as  dear  to  every  man  in  his  place  and 
proportion,  without  impeachment  and  infringement." 
And,  in  that  Body  of  Liberties,  we  find  the  memora- 
ble declaration,  that  "  there  shall  never  be  any  bond 
slavery  "  amongst  them,  except  in  the  cases,  in  effect, 
which  were  forced  upon  them  by  the  mother  country. 


68  REMARKS   OF 

So  that  in  fact  there  never  was,  from  that  day,  a  native- 
born  slave,  lawfully  held  as  such  in  Massachusetts. 
And  in  this  they  did  all  they  were  permitted  to  do  as 
colonists,  in  abolishing  slavery,  and  they  made  a  fur- 
ther public  declaration  of  their  condemnation  of  the 
institution,  by  securing  to  such  as  they  could  not  set 
free,  "  all  the  liberties  and  Christian  usages  which  the 
law  of  God,  established  in  Israel,  doth  morally  re- 
quire." 

Mr.  W.  said  his  time  would  allow  him  to  refer  to 
only  one  more  subject,  that  of  free  schools.  In  1642, 
the  representatives  of  this  body  of  freemen  enjoined 
upon  the  towns  to  provide  education  for  every  child 
within  their  jurisdiction.  And,  in  1647,  a  law  was 
passed  making  the  support  of  schools  compulsory,  and 
education  therein  free  to  all.  These  bigoted,  narrow- 
minded,  intolerant  men,  of  their  own  motion,  inaugu- 
rated a  system  of  free  schools,  in  which  they  antici- 
pated England  by  more  than  two  hundred  years, 
which  struck  a  fatal  blow  to  everything  like  class  or 
denominational  distinction  under  a  free  government. 
It  not  only  assumed  that  all  were  free  and  equal,  but  it 
provided,  at  the  public  charge,  the  means  by  which  all 
might  become  so,  if  they  would.  Neither  rank,  nor 
sex,  nor  color  was  any  longer  to  be  a  barrier  to  the 
refining  and  elevating  influence  of  education,  or  to  the 


HON.   EMORY   WASHBURN.  69 

sharing  of  power,  which  comes  from  the  possession  of 
intelligence  and  culture. 

With  such  laws  as  these,  it  is  idle  to  charge  upon  the 
men  of  that  day,  that  they  had  a  thought  of  building  up 
in  the  community  a  system  which  was  to  favor  church 
members  beyond  any  other  class  of  citizens.  They 
give  in  their  own  language  the  reason  why  they  en- 
acted the  law  of  1647,  while  they  repeat  their  ever- 
conscious  reliance  upon  that  Providence  which  had 
thus  far  guided  and  watched  over  the  in  :  "  That  learn- 
ing be  not  buried  in  the  graves  of  our  forefathers,  in 
church  and  commonwealth.,  —  the  Lord  assisting  our 
endeavors." 

If  any  one  would  follow  the  course  of  legislation  of 
the  Puritans  under  the  colony  charter,  he  would  find, 
with  all  there  was  to  criticise,  a  noble  consistency  in 
the  same  high  aims  and  purposes  of  founding  and 
building  up  a  Christian  commonwealth,  in  which  they 
had  little  to  guide  them  but  their  Bibles,  and  their 
own  sense  of  what  were  the  rights  and  duties  of  a  free 
people.  And  proud  as  we  might  be  of  Massachusetts 
in  her  history,  there  was  no  period  of  her  annals  which 
reflects  higher  honor  upon  the  men  who  took  the  lead 
in  her  affairs,  than  that  during  which  the  Puritans 
directed  her  legislation.  If  they  were  bigoted,  it  was 
the  fault  of  the  age  in  which  they  lived.     Their  own 


LETTER   OF 


spontaneous  action  was  all  in  favor  of  elevating  and 
improving  the  condition  of  their  fellow-men.  Their 
bigotry  expended  itself  in  trying  to  preserve  their 
fellow-citizens  "  honest  and  good  men."  And  if  that 
is  bigotry^  the  more  a  people  have  of  it  the  better. 

If  bigotry  is  a  disease  in  the  body  politic,  and  it 
takes  that  turn,  people  might  almost  pray  that  it 
might  become  epidemic,  and  "  break  out "  with  new 
and  fresh  vigor,  outside  of  Massachusetts  as  well  as 
within  it,  and  spread  till  it  reached  the  capital  itself, 
and  the  men  who  are  gathered  there. 


PROF.  EDWARDS  A.  PARK 

Was  to  have  delivered  the  last  of  the  brief  addresses.  Being 
obliged  to  leave  before  he  could  secure  his  opportunity,  under 
urgent  importunity  he  has  sent  the  following  letter  :  — 

Rev.  Isaac  P.  Langworthy  : 

Dear  Sir  :  If  I  had  made  the  speech  I  was  design- 
ing to  make  at  the  dedication  of  the  Congregational 
House,  I  should  have  named  several  particulars  in 
which  the  House  is  fitted  to  preserve  the  spirit  of 
ancient  Congregationalism,  and  should  have  narrated 
a  few  of  the  proceedings  which  resulted  in  the  forma- 
tion of  the  Society  which  you  have  served  so  long  and 
so  well.     In  this  letter  I  will  omit  the  remarks  which 


PROF.   EDWARDS  A.   PARK.  7 1 

I  had  intended  to  make  on  the  fitnesses  of  the  Con- 
gregational House,  and  will  narrate,  more  minutely 
than  I  had  intended  in  my  speech  to  detail,  some 
incidents  connected  with  the  inception  of  the  Society 
whose  treasure  of  books  is  to  enrich  the  House. 

On  the  fifth  of  October,  1843,  I  made  my  first  visit 
to  the  Red  Cross  Library,  the  great  library  of  the 
dissenters,  in  the  city  of  London.  I  was  deeply  im- 
pressed by  the  portraits  which  adorned  the  walls  of  the 
edifice,  and  by  the  old  and  rare  books  which  filled  its 
shelves.  Here  were  the  portrait  of  John  Milton,  and 
the  first  edition  of  his  Paradise  Lost;  and  not  far  from 
the  edifice  was  the  home  of  the  blind  poet.  This 
library,  of  thirty  thousand  volumes  ;  these  portraits, 
more  than  eighty  in  number,  of  such  men  as  Bates, 
Baxter,  Cartwright,  Caryl,  Charnock,  Flavel,  Matthew 
Henry,  John  Howe,  Manton,  Perkins,  Ridgeley,  Watts, 
and  men  of  kindred  spirit,  —  had  long  engaged  the 
interest  of  Prof.  B.  B.  Edwards  ;  and  in  the  winter  of 
1843-4,  we  both  became  fully  convinced  that  a  library 
and  a  portrait  gallery  similar  to  those  in  Red  Cross 
Street,  London,  might  be  established  in  New  England, 
After  frequent  conversations  with  each  other,  the  plan 
appeared  so  feasible  that  we  agreed  to  propose  it  to 
several  clergymen  in  and  near  Boston.  I  remember 
that  on  the  twenty-fourth  of  May,  1844, 1  had  a  length- 
ened interview  with  Rev.  William  M.  Rogers,  and  called 


72  LETTER   OF 

his  attention  to  a  remark  which  I  had  intended  to  make 
in  a  sermon  before  the  Pastoral  Association  of  Massa- 
chusetts. The  sermon  was  delivered  on  the  twenty- 
eighth  of  May,  and  printed  in  the  following  month. 
The  remark  was :  "  Let  us  establish  in  this  city  of  the 
Pilgrims,  a  Pilgrim  Hall,  that  shall  contain  the  writings 
of  our  fathers,  and  of  our  brethren,  and  of  our  suc- 
cessors, and  let  its  walls  preserve  the  portraits  of  our 
Cottons,  and  our  Mathers,  and  our  Hookers,  and  our 
Emmonses,  and  our  Paysons,  and  our  Hallocks,  and 
our  Beechers." 

Prof  Edwards  desired  several  persons  travelling  in 
Europe  to  make  a  thorough  examination  of  the  Red 
Cross  Library,  and  to  publish  a  description  of  it. 
When  he  embarked  for  Europe  in  1846,  he  determined 
to  perform  this  work  himself  He  printed  his  essay 
on  the  library  in  August,  1847.  The  essay  is  found 
in  the  Bibliotheca  Sacra,  Vol.  IV,  pp.  582-598,  and 
also  in  his  Memoir,  pp.  256-276.  In  this  suggestive 
article,  he  proposes  the  establishment  of  a  Puritan 
Library  and  Museum  "  in  some  one  of  the  large  cities 
of  New  England,  the  capital,  for  example."  To  the 
question  :  "  What  departments  and  branches  should 
such  a  library  and  museum  include,"  he  answers.  First : 
It  should  include  books,  pamphlets,  and  periodicals 
published  by  the  Puritans  in  England  and  in  this  coun- 
try;  the  old  and  small  newspapers,the  "Apologies,"  "De 


PROF.   EDWARDS  A.  PARK.  73 

fences,"  "Rejoinders,"  "Appeals,'.' "  Statements,"  which 
illustrate  the  minute  history  of  the  Puritans  and  the 
Pilgrims.  Secondly :  The  library  should  gather  to- 
gether the  manuscripts  of  our  old  divines,  the  "  many 
precious  papers  not  now  known  to  exist,  utterly  neg- 
lected, mouldering  in  chests  or  in  garrets,  constantly 
exposed  to  destruction,"  etc.  Thirdly :  There  should 
be  collected  in  the  library  and  museum  original  por 
traits,  prints,  engravings,  busts  of  the  eminent  men 
who  have  adorned  our  churches.  Fourthly:  The 
museum  should  contain  "  miscellaneous  memorials, 
cherished  articles  employed  in  the  studies  and  in  the 
labors  of  distinguished  men,  characteristic  remem- 
brancers, even  should  they  be  small  and  in  themselves 
of  little  value."  The  reasons  he  assigns  for  establish- 
ing such  a  library  and  museum  are  the  following  :  — 

First :  The  establishment  "  would  form  a  centre 
for  patriotic  and  religious  reminiscence  for  New  Eng- 
land and  for  all  the  descendants  of  the  Pilgrims." 
Secondly:  It  "  would  constitute  an  interesting  memo- 
rial of  the  theological  and  literary  labors"  of  our  New- 
England  fathers.  Thirdly  :  It  would  be  one  means 
of  perpetuating  their  religious  principles  and  usages. 
Fourthly :  It  "  would  be  of  inestimable  service  to  our 
future  civil  and  ecclesiastical  historians."  Fifthly:  It 
"  would  tend  to  promote  brotherly  feelings  among  the 


74  LETTER   OF 

descendants  of  the  Puritans."  Sixthly :  It  "  would 
exert  a  favorable  influence  on  the  character  of  the 
sermons  and  other  works  which  may  hereafter  be  pub- 
lished by  our  clergymen."  Seventhly:  It  "would 
ensure  the  preservation  of  valuable  documents  and 
curiosities  which  will  otherwise  be  lost,"  and  would 
thus  be  of  great  historical  worth. 

This  essay  of  Prof  Edwards  attracted  the  notice  of 
some  opulent  laymen.  Hon.  Samuel  T.  Armstrong 
exerted  himself  in  favor  of  the  plan,  and  in  his  last 
conversation  with  Mr.  Edwards,  expressed  his  hojDe 
and  belief  that  the  Old  South  Church  of  Boston  would 
aid  the  enterprise  liberally.  (Memoir  of  Prof.  Ed- 
wards, p.  271.)  He  also  thought  that  the  valuable 
library  of  Dr.  Prince  might  be  connected  in  some 
way  with  the  general  library  proposed  in  the  essay. 

After  numerous  consultations  with  clergymen  and 
laymen,  a  plan  was  formed  for  the  establishment  of  a 
Society  which  would  collect  the  books  and  the  por- 
traits of  the  fathers,  and  also  devote  itself  to  the  ad- 
vancement of  theological  science.  It  was  proposed 
that  the  Society  should  consist  of  three  sections, — 
one  devoted  to  biblical  philology,  another  to  eccle- 
siastical history,  and  another  to  theological  doctrine. 
Essays  were  to  be  read  before  each  of  these  sections, 
and  afterwards  published.  Branches  of  the  Society 
were  to  be  formed  in  various  parts 'of  the  country,  and 


PROF.   EDWARDS  A.   PARK.  75 

the  results  of  their  studies  communicated  to  the  gen- 
eral Society.  This  plan  was  an  organized  form  of 
conducting  such  literary  exercises,  as  in  a  less  method- 
ical way  are  now  conducted  by  some  theological  clubs. 
The  society  was  to  be,  and  was  familiarly  called,  an 
Academy  of  Theological  Science. 

Some  advocates  of  the  plan  desired  that  this  Theo- 
logical Association  or  Academy  should  have  its  library, 
or  at  least  its  centre  of  operations,  in  Andover  rather 
than  in  Boston,  and  that  the  more  prominent  essays 
written  for  it  should  be  read  at  the  Andover  anniver- 
sary, and  should  take  the  place  of  the  annual  sermon 
before  the  alumni.  Several  of  these  friends  did  not 
believe  that  the  plan  could  be  executed  without  reviv- 
ing an  old  "odium  theologicum,"  and  they  consequently 
recommended  a  further  delay.  Two  parties  had  been 
for  a  long  time  contending  in  New  England  under  the 
leadership  of  two  divines,  of  whom  it  has  been  said 
that  their  names  differed  from  each  other  in  only  a 
single  letter,  and  their  theological  systems  differed  in 
such  minute  particulars  that  not  a  single  partisan  of 
either  system  could  state  the  particulars  -in  such  a 
form  as  would  meet  the  approval  of  the  two  divines 
themselves.  At  length,  however,  it  was  determined 
to  try  the  experiment.  Prof.  Edwards  and  myself  in- 
vited two  clergymen  to  meet  us  on  the  twenty-second 
of  November,   1850.     Of  the  clergymen  invited,  one 


76  LETTER  OF  PROF.   EDWARDS  A.   PARK. 

was  Rev.  (now  Dr.)  William  I.  Budington,  a  supposed 
representative  of  the  theological  party  led  by  the 
divine  who  had  an  "  a "  in  his  name,  and  the  other 
clergyman  was  Rev.  (afterwards  Dr.)  Alexander  Mc- 
Clure,  a  supposed  representative  of  the  party  led  by 
the  divine  who  had  no  "  a  "  in  his  name. 

The  meeting  was  held  in  my  house  at  two  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon.  It  was  enlivened  by  the  wit  of  Dr. 
McClure,  cheered  by  the  genial  manners  of  Dr.  Bud- 
ington, and  rendered  memorable  by  the  modest  and 
earnest  words  of  Prof  Edwards.  We  formed  ourselves 
into  a  committee  of  four,  and  discussed  the  principles 
to  be  incorporated  into  the  constitution  of  the  society. 
The  constitution  was  afterwards  somewhat  modified 
by  Drs.  McClure  and  Budington,  and  on  the  eighteenth 
of  December  they  reported  that  their  draft  was  finished, 
and  sent  to  Prof.  Edwards  and  myself  a  copy  of  it. 
On  the  fifth  of  February,  1851,  they  read  their  consti- 
tution to  a  company  consisting  of  "Rev.  Messrs.  Albro, 
Pomeroy,  Thompson,  Tappan,  Treat,  Richards,  Alvord, 
Higgins,  Foster,  Jenks,  Anderson,  J.  S.  Clark,  Riddel, 
Cushing,Waterbury,  and  Peck."  The  constitution  was 
formally  adopted,  and  the  first  officers  of  the  Society 
were  elected  at  an  adjourned  meeting,  Feb.  12,  1851. 
\ours  truly, 

EDWARDS  A.  PARK. 

Andover  Theological  Seminary,  May  3,  1S73. 


MAP. 


SI 


MAP. 

The  little  map  below  —  for  which  we  are  indebted  to  the 
proprietors  of  the  "  Congregationalist "  —  will  give  our  friends 
a  correct  idea  of  the  relative  location  of  the  Congregational 
House  and  of  its  excellent  surroundings. 


DESCRIPTION   OF   MAP. 


1.  Congregational  House. 

2.  Mount  Vernon  Church. 

3.  State  House. 

4.  Athen^um. 

5.  Park  Street  Church. 

6.  Tremont  House. 

7.  Pemberton  Square. 

8.  BowDoiN  Square. 
Q.  Revere  House. 


10.  American  House. 

11.  Dock  Square. 

12.  Old  State  House. 

13.  Parker  House. 

14.  Wesleyan  Hall. 

15.  40  Winter  Street. 

16.  Old  South  Church. 

17.  New  Post  Office  Building. 

18.  City  Hall. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  THE  BUILDING. 

The  engraving  opposite  the  title-page  gives  a  fair  view  of. 
the  Congregational  House  as  seen  by  one  coming  down 
Beacon  Street.  It  has  a  frontage  of  one  hundred  and  three 
feet  on  Beacon  Street,  and  a  side  view  of  ninety-three  feet  on 
Somerset  Street.  The  entrances  from  each  street  are  directly 
under  the  bay-windows  as  seen  on  this  elevation.  The  moni- 
tor roof  peering  above  its  surroundings,  covers  the  Library 
building,  whose  exact  relations  to  the  other  parts  of  the  house 
can  be  readily  perceived  by  a  glance  at  the  second-floor  plan 
inserted  here. 

On  entering  the  house  from  Beacon  Street,  the  first  door  on 
the  right,  at  the  head  of  the  stairs,  opens  into  the  beautiful 
rooms  of  the  Woman's  Board  ;  the  second  door  leads  to  the 
Librarian's  room,  and  directly  in  front  is  the  entrance  to  the 
Library  ;  turning  to  the  left,  passing  three  large  parlors,  you 
reach  the  room  of  the  Treasurer  of  the  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  ;  turn- 
ing to  the  right,  you  come  to  the  large  room  occupied  by  his 
clerks  ;  thence  to  the  business  office  of  the  "  Congregationalist" 
on  the  left,  and  its  mailing  department  on  the  right.  The 
third  floor  furnishes  rooms  for  the  Secretaries  of  the  Board, 
editor  of  "  Herald,"  Prudential  committee,  museum,  clerk  and 
copyists  of  the  Board,  City  Missionary  Society,  American 
Congregational  Union,  American  Missionary  Association,  and 
Massachusetts  Home  Missionary  Society.  The  fourth  floor 
has  Pilgrim  Hall,  general  committee  and  ministerial  confer- 
ence room,  —  which,  together,  have  the  capacity  of  seating  six 
hundred  persons,  —  the  American  Peace  Society,  editors  of  the 
"  Congregationalist,"  and  two  large  rooms  which  are  temporarily 
occupied  with  a  part  of  the  Congregational  Library.  The  fifth 
floor,  fronting  on  Somerset  Street,  is  occupied  by  Thomas 
Todd,  Esq.,  for  composition  and  printing.  The  janitor  lives 
in  well-finished  rooms  in  the  attic  of  what  was  the  Gardner 
House.  The  Congregational  Publishing  Society  occupies  the 
store  on  the  corner  of  Beacon  and  Somerset  Streets,  and  the 
two  rooms  upon  the  first  floor  fronting  on  Somerset  Street  are 
the  office  of  the  "  Missionary  Herald,"  and  the  packing-room 
of  the  American  Board. 


THE    AMERICAN 
CONGREGATIONAL   ASSOCIATION. 


A     BRIEF     HISTORICAL     SKETCH, 


The  organization,  which  is  here  but  merely  outlined,  came 
into  existence  from  the  convictions  and  eftbrts  of  a  number  of 
interested  men.  They  seem  to  have  been  simultaneously 
impressed  with  the  importance  of  saving  whatever  was  still 
within  the  possible  reach  of  the  writings  and  memorials  of  the 
early  settlers  of  this  country.  The  first  public  discussion  of 
the  subject,  of  recent  date,,  was  by  Prof.  Bela  B.  Edwards, 
of  Andover,  Mass.,  in  an  able  article  in  the  August  number  of 
the  "  Bibliotheca  Sacra,"  1847,  in  which  —  making  the  Dr. 
Williams'  Library  of  London  the  basis  —  he  forcibly  urged  the 
importance  and  practicability  of  a  public  library  of  books, 
pamphlets,  manuscripts,  and  whatever  else  would  serve  to 
illustrate  the  Pilgrim  and  Puritan  history  and  New-England 
theology. 

Previously  to  this,  however,  there  had  been  not  a  little 
conversation  and  planning  with  reference  to  this  same  end. 
Some  persons  now  living  will  recall  earnest  suggestions  and 
expressions  of  deep  interest,  in  this  behalf,  from  the  late  Rev. 
William  M.  Rogers,  also  from  the  Rev.  Joseph  S.  Clark,  Rev. 
Drs.  Anderson  and  Felt,  and  some  others.  The  donor  of 
the  imperfect  copy  of  Eliot's   Bible  remembers  perfectly  an 


8o,  HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  THE 

appeal  from  Mr.  Rogers  for  that  book,  saying,  "  You  must  let 
me  have  it,  or  give  it  to  the  Congregational  Library  which  we 
must  have."  This  was  in  1843  or  1844.  But  this  sporadic 
interest  took  no  especial  form  until  the  winter  of  185 1,  when 
Prof.  Edwards,  in  consultation  with  Prof  E.  A.  Park,  d.  d., 
invited  the  Rev.  Wm.  Ives  Budington,  then  of  Charlestown, 
now  of  Brooklyn,  N,  Y.,  and  the  late  Rev.  A.  W.  McClure, 
then  of  Maiden,  to  an  interview  with  them  on  this  subject  at 
Andover.  As  one  of  the  immediate  results  of  that  conference, 
a  meeting  was  called  at  the  rooms  of  the  American  Education 
Society,  15  Cornhill,  in  Boston,  and  was  held  February  5, 
1 85 1,  at  10  o'clock,  A.  M.,  at  which  the  following  named 
clergymen  were  present :  the  Rev.  Messrs.  John  A.  Albro, 
D.  D.,  Jared  B.  Waterbury,  d.  d.,  Rufus  Anderson,  d.  d., 
Nehemiah  Adams,  d.  d.,  Edward  Beecher,  d.  d.,  Frederick  T. 
Perkins,  Samuel  H.  Riddel,  Alexander  W.  McClure,  George 
Richards,  Joseph  S.  Clark,  William  A,  Stearns,  S.  Hale 
Higgins,  Christopher  Cushing,  William  C.  Foster,  John  W. 
Alvord,  and  Wm.  Ives  Budington.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Anderson 
was  invited  to  preside,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Budington  to 
officiate  as  scribe.  The  minutes  continue  :  "  After  prayer  for 
divine  guidance,  and  a  free  interchange  of  views,  it  was 
unanimously  voted  that,  in  the  judgment  of  this  meeting,  it  is 
expedient  to  form  a  society  for  the  establishment  of  a  Congre- 
gational Library,  and  the  cultivation  of  theological  science." 
A  committee  was  appointed,  consisting  of  the  Rev, 
Messrs.  McClure,  Anderson,  Albro,  Beecher,  and  Budington, 
to  take  the  subject  into  consideration,  and  report  a  constitu- 
tion at  the  next  meeting,  to  be  holden  at  the  same  place  on 
the  following  Tuesday,  at  ten  o'clock,  a.  m.  At  that  meeting 
there  were  present  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Albro,  Pomeroy,  Thomp- 
son, Tappan,  Treat,  Richards,  Alvord,  Foster,  Higgins,  Jenks, 
McClure,  Anderson,  Clark,  Riddel,  Cushing,  Waterbury,  and 
Budington.  The  constitution  was  presented,  discussed,  and 
finally,  after  numerous  amendments,  was  adopted,  and  the 
following  officers  were   chosen  by  ballot :     Rev.  J.  A.  Albro, 


CONGREGATIONAL   ASSOCIATION.  8 1 

President  ;  Rev.  Geo.  W.  Blagdcn,  Vice-President  ;  Rev. 
Wm.  Ives  Budington,  Secretary  ;  Rev.  A.  W.  McClure,  Treas- 
urer ;  and  Rev.  Wm.  Jenks,  d.  d.,  Librarian.  Encouraged 
by  the  interest  taken  in  these  incipient  movements  by  the 
pastor,  Rev.  Mr  Blagden,  and  the  Hon.  Samuel  T.  Armstrong, 
both  of  the  Old  South  Church,  measures  were  immediately 
adopted  to  direct,  as  far  as  possible,  the  efforts  of  this  Associa- 
tion, so  as  to  secure  the  benefits  of  the  Prince  Library,  under 
the  care  of  the  deacons  of  that  church.  Arrangements  were 
made  for  future  meetings  at  the  rooms  of  that  library,  in 
Spring  Lane  Chapel,  and  permission  was  given  to  add  a  suitable 
book-case  for  the  preservation  and  use  of  the  first  fruits  of  the 
Association. 

The  Association  met  in  the  Old  South  Chapel,  Spring  Lane, 
November  19,  185 1,  and  continued  to  hold  its  regular  and 
special  meetings  there  until  May  25,  1853,  when  it  was  re- 
organized and  became  a  new  body.  No  very  decided  efforts 
seem  to  have  been  made  to  create  a  library  daring  this  period. 
From  the  written  catalogue  of  Dr.  Jenks,  handed  over  to  his 
successor,  there  were  but  fifty-six  books  and  pamphlets,  all 
told,  and  forty-three  of  these  were  the  gifts  of  two  men,  viz.  : 
twenty-three  by  J.  Wingate  Thornton,  Esq.,  of  Boston,  and 
twenty  by  the  Rev.  A.  W.  McClure,  of  Maiden.  The  meet- 
ings of  the  Association  had  been  held  monthly,  except  in  July, 
August,  and  September,  and  were  devoted  mostly  to  essays 
and  discussions  upon  historical,  ecclesiastical,  and  theological 
subjects. 

The  records  of  the  Association,  which  now  came  into  the 
careful  and  accurate  hands  of  the  Rev.  Joseph  S.  Clark,  d.  d., 
have  the  following  minutes  touching  this  change  in  its  form  : 
"  After  various  modifications  in  the  working  of  the  system 
for  the  space  of  two  years,  it  became  evident,  that,  with  some 
other  modifications,  the  essential  idea  of  the  Association  was 
capable  of  indefinite  expansion,  and  was  quite  too  important 
to  be  restrained  within  the  present  sphere  of  its  development. 


82  HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  THE 

Accordingly,  the  subject  of  an  extended  organization  was 
given  in  charge  to  a  committee  consisting  of  the  Rev.  Messrs. 
Parsons  Cooke,  d.  d.,  Rufiis  Anderson,  d.  d.,  Edward  Beech- 
er,  D.  D.,  Samuel  M.  Worcester,  d.  d.,  A.  C.  Thompson,  Nehe- 
miah  Adams,  d.  d.,  and  Sewall  Harding.  Their  report  was 
made  to  a  full  meeting  of  the  body  on  the  19th  of  May,  1853  ; 
and  after  a  thorough  discussion  and  revision,  it  was  unani- 
mously adopted,  and  became  the  basis  of  a  new  and  enlarged 
organization  (retaining  the  same  name),  which,  with  great 
unanimity,  was  formed  in  the  Old  South  Chapel  on  the  25th 
day  of  May,  1853,  in  the  midst  of  a  large  assembly  of  Con- 
gregational ministers  and  laymen,  drawn  together  from  all  the 
New-England  States  and  from  other  parts  of  the  land. 

"  Immediately  after  the  organization  was  completed,  and  be- 
fore the  assembly  had  dispersed,  a  committee  from  the  Pas- 
toral Association  of  Massachusetts,  who  had  been  charged 
with  that  business,  called  a  meeting  of  that  body,  and  reported 
a  resolution,  which  was  unanimously  adopted,  to  the  effect 
that  the  Pastoral  Association  do  now  merge  itself  in  the  Con- 
gregational Library  Association,  and  declare  its  own  organ- 
ization dissolved,  —  thus  nationalizing  (not  surrendering)  the 
essential  objects  of  its  existence,  and  pursuing  them  hence- 
forth in  company  with  the  great  family  of  Congregational 
pastors  and  church  members  throughout  the  land. 

"  Subsequently  the  members  of  the  original  organization 
(about  twenty-five  in  all)  met,  and,  after  a  formal  transfer  of 
their  records  and  property,  unanimously  voted  to  merge  their 
Congregational  Library  Association  into  the  newly-formed 
body  of  the  same  name,  and  then  declared  the  organization 
dissolved." 

The  second  article  of  the  new  constitution  was  as  follows  : 
"  The  object  of  this  Association  shall  be  to  found  and  per- 
petuate a  Library  of  Books,  Pamphlets,  and  Manuscripts,  and 
a  collection  of  Portraits,  and  whatever  else  shall  serve  to 
illustrate  Puritan  History,  and  promote  the  general  interests 


CONGREGATIONAL    ASSOCIATION.  83 

of  Congregationalism."  The  ofificers  then  chosen  by  ballot 
were  :  Rev.  William  T.  Dwight,  d.  d.,  of  Portland,  Me.,  Presi- 
dent, with  a  long  list  of  Vice-Presidents  ;  for  Directors,  Rev. 
Parsons  Cooke,  d.  d.,  Rev.  Samuel  M.  Worcester,  d.  d.,  Rev. 
Sewall  Harding,  Rev.  Augustus  C.  Thompson,  Rev.  Rufus 
Anderson,  d.  d.,  Julius  A.  Palmer,  Esq.  ;  for  Corresponding 
Secretary,  Rev.  Joseph  S.  Clark ;  Recording  Secretary,  Rev. 
Samuel  H.  Riddel  ;  Librarian,  Rev.  Joseph  B.  Felt,  d.  d.  ; 
for  Treasurer,  Alpheus  Hardy,  Esq. 

An  application  was  now  made  to  the  legislature  for  a  char- 
ter, which  was  granted  April  12,  1854,  and  has,  several  times 
since,  been  amended,  —  changing  the  name,  and  giving  the 
privilege  of  holding  real  and  personal  estate  to  the  amount  of 
seven  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

The  Association  was  now  prepared  to  make  itself  an  influ- 
ence for  good,  and  began  at  once  to  discuss  the  subject  of 
erecting  "  a  large  and  costly  edifice,"  and  that  on  the  ground 
"  that  it  will  be  better  economy  than  a  small  and  cheap  one." 
A  suitable  room  for  temporary  use  was  rented  in  Tremont 
Temple,  where  the  directors  met  for  the  first  time,  July  11, 

1853. 

The  first  definite  action  taken  by  the  directors  for  the 
purchase  of,  or  otherwise  securing  a  suitable  building  for  the 
purposes  of  the  Association,  was  at  their  meeting,  October  31, 
1854,  when  Messrs.  Hardy,  Palmer,  and  Clark  were  appointed 
a  committee  "  to  find  a  suitable  site." 

At  a  special  meeting  held  April  17,  1855," it  was  voted: 
"  That  it  is  expedient  that  immediate  measures  be  taken  by 
this  Board  to  raise  funds  for  the  erection  of  such  a  building," 
—  the  Congregational  House,  —  and  the  committee  on  "  site  " 
were  instructed  to  make  "  all  necessary  arrangements  "  there- 
for. At  the  annual  meeting,  held  May  29,  1855,  the  subject 
above  named  was  fully  presented,  discussed,  and  unanimously 
indorsed ;  and  the  sum  of  $50,000  was  recommended  as  the 
amount  to  be  raised.     The  Rev.  Dr.  Clark  decided  to  make  a 


84  HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  THE 

temporary  effort  to  secure  the  required  funds,  having  obtained 
consent  of  the  executive  committee  of  the  Massachusetts 
Home  Missionary  Society,  whose  corresponding  secretary  he 
long  had  been,  and  immediately  entered  upon  this  work,  secur- 
ing subscriptions  to  the  amount  of  nineteen  hundred  and 
seventy  dollars  from  the  directors  present.  November  24, 
1856,  the  committee  on  site  presented  a  recommendation  of 
an  estate  on  Tremont  Street,  fronting  the  Common,  which  was 
adopted  ;  and  it  was  voted,  "  That  immediate  efforts  be  made 
to  raise  the  funds  for  purchasing  the  said  estate."  The  "ap- 
pointment and  selecting  of  an  agent "  was  given  to  a  special 
committee,  with  instructions  "  to  confer  with  the  Rev.  I.  P. 
Langworthy  and  his  people,  respecting  his  appointment  to  the 
agency."  This  failing,  the  committee  secured  the  consent  of 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Clark  to  continue  in  this  service,  according  to 
their  previous  arrangements  with  him. 

At  a  meeting  held  May  6,  1857,  it  being  found  impossible 
to  secure  the  requisite  funds  for  the  purchase  of  the  estate  on 
Tremont  Street,  and  "the  late  Judge  Jackson  estate  on  Chauncy 
Street  being  offered  on  more  favorable  terms,"  it  was  purchased 
for  the  sum  of  twenty-five  thousand  dollars,  the  next  day. 
June  28,  1857,  a  committee  reported  that  arrangements  had 
been  made  with  the  Rev.  Dr.  Clark  to  become  the  financial 
agent  of  the  Association. 

From  the  beginning  of  his  peculiarly  skillful  and  patiently- 
enduring  efforts  to  raise  funds  for  this  object,  he  met  with  op- 
position where  he  might  the  least  have  expected  it,  and  indif- 
ference all  but  everywhere.  Thoroughly  informed  upon  its  chief 
bearings,  and  deeply  convinced  of  its  importance,  he  went  for- 
ward amid  repulses  and  cold  shoulders,  such  as  would  have 
driven  any  but  a  man  wholly  in  earnest  from  the  field.  It  was 
so  entirely  a  new  thing,  in  modern  times,  for  Congregation- 
alists  to  do  anything  which  could  be  called  denominational, 
that  not  a  few  esteemed  this  movement  a  great  mistake,  if  not 
a  crime.      By  dint  of  unflinching  perseverance,  however,  he 


CONGREGATIONAL  ASSOCIATION.  85 

succeeded  in  raising  between  eight  and  nine  thousand  dollars, 
a  part  of  which  was  paid  upon  the  Jackson  estate,  and  the 
remainder  upon  necessary  changes  in  fitting  the  building  for 
occupancy.  The  library  was  moved  to  this  building  in  the 
early  summer  of  1857.  He  continued  to  visit  the  churches 
and  associations,  soliciting  funds  and  securing  more  or  less 
books  and  pamphlets,  until  his  lamented  death,  August  17th, 
1 861.  For  five  months  the  late  rebellious  war  had  raged,  and 
very  little  could  be  done  in  raising  subscriptions  or  contribu- 
tions. The  want  of  that  co-operation  and  sympathy  which  he 
had  a  right  to  expect,  bore  heavily  upon  his  sensitive  mind, 
and,  by  many  it  is  believed,  hastened  his  death.  But  those 
who  survive  him  understand  that  he  accomplished  much  more 
than  he  lived  to  see,  opening  the  way,  enlightening  some  of 
the  ignorance  and  removing  some  of  the  prejudice  which  was 
so  universal  upon  this  simple  question  of  proper  denomina- 
tional action.  Thus,  he  was  enabled  to  herald,  if  he  did  not 
assure,  the  success  that  has  attended  subsequent  efforts. 

The  subject  of  issuing  from  the  library  rooms  a  monthly 
or  quarterly  periodical,  answering,  somewhat,  to  the  character 
of  the  "American  Quarterly  Register,"  had  been  a  long  cher- 
ished idea  with  Dr.  Clark,  and  was  brought  before  his  direc- 
tors for  discussion  at  their  meeting  of  Jan.  28,  1858;  and 
after  due  consideration,  was  referred  to  a  committee  to  make 
further  investigation  and  report.  In  the  meantime,  Drs.  Dex- 
ter and  Quint  were  maturing  plans  for  starting  a  similar  work, 
and  on  conferring  with  Dr.  Clark,  an  arrangement  was  en- 
tered into  for  issuing  the  "  Congregational  Quarterly,"  the 
first  number  of  which  greeted  its  friends  early  in  January, 
1859.  The  Association,  represented  by  Dr.  C.  and  Rev.  Drs. 
Dexter  and  Quint,  were  joint  proprietors  ;  and  before  the 
issue  of  the  April  number,  the  "American  Congregational 
Union"  merged  its  "Year  Book"  in  the  "  Quarterly,"  and 
became,  through  its  secretary,  a  fourth  partner,  and  joint  pro- 
prietor,  of  this   now   standard   and    much-needed   periodical. 

4 


86  HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  THE 

Dr.  Clark  contributed  largely  to  its  pages,  labored  faithfully  to 
secure  subscribers  and  send  them  their  numbers  until  the 
close  of  his  life.  It  continued  to  be  issued  from  the  rooms  of 
the  Association  until  the  close  of  the  fourteenth  volume  — 
1872  —  when  the  Association  disposed  of  its  interest  to  the 
other  proprietors. 

Immediately  after  the  decease  of  Dr.  Clark,  the  Rev.  Isaac 
P.  Langworthy,  then  corresponding  secretary  of  the  Ameri- 
can Congregational  Union,  having  his  desk  in  the  library, 
was  requested  to  take  the  oversight  of  the  building,  and 
direction  of  the  boy  in  charge  ;  and  at  the  next  annual  meet- 
ing, May  27,  1862,  was  appointed  corresponding  secretary 
and  librarian  ;  and  by  an  amicable  arrangement  between  the 
trustees  of  the  Union  and  the  directors  of  the  Association, 
he  was  to  receive  two  hundred  dollars  of  his  salary  from  the 
latter,  for  the  care  of  the  "boy"  and  the  "building"  ;  and  no 
further  service  was  expected,  except  the  calling  of  the  occa- 
sional meetings,  and  conducting  the  limited  correspondence  of 
the  Association. 

The  library  then  contained  three  thousand  six  hundred  and 
thirty-eight  bound  volumes,  and  about  twenty  thousand  pam- 
phlets. The  books  were  arranged  according  to  size  and  bind- 
ing, the  pamphlets  in  closets  mostly  unsorted.  Dr.  Clark  was 
so  familiar  with  all  the  books  that  he  had  little  difficulty  in 
finding  any  book  desired,  but  to  others  the  arrangement  was 
not  convenient.  Being  compelled,  from  need  of  funds,  to 
rent  the  second  story  of  the  building,  and  hence  to  remove 
the  library  shelves  one  more  flight  up,  advantage  was  taken 
of  this  occasion  to  separate  all  the  duplicates,  and  so  far  as  the 
limited  room  would  allow,  to  arrange  the  books  according 
to  their  subjects  ;  and  at  the  same  time  the  three  private 
libraries  in  charge  were  returned  to  their  owners.  This  plan 
revealed  more  clearly  the  especial  needs  of  the  library,  and 
the  empty  shelving  made  its  own  appeal  to  all  visitors  ;  and 
from  that  time  to  the  present,  the  increase  of  the  library  has 


CONGREGATIOMAL   ASSOCIATIO.V.  87 

been  quite  rapid  and  valuable,  when  it  is  considered  that  the 
Association  has  never  appropriated  one  cent  oi  its  funds  to 
buy  a  book. 

It  is,  however,  but  just  to  say  that  this  great  increase  did 
not  " happen"  nor  have  books  come  in,  one  or  two  thousand 
volumes  a  year,  of  their  own  accord.  There  has  been  some 
forecasting  and  planning,  but  more  begging  and  hard  work. 
In  the  several  issues  of  the  "  Quarterly,"  the  librarian  stated 
more  or  less  of  the  immediate  wants  of  the  library  of  periodi- 
cals, minutes,  and  such  like,  to  complete  sets,  and  thus  atten- 
tion was  called  to  the  library,  and  valuable  gifts  were  received. 

On  the  Sabbath  he  was  presenting  his  church-building  work, 
stopping  with  the  pastors,  to  whose  libraries  he  always  had 
access,  and  from  whose  houses  he  seldom  returned  without  a 
full  satchel,  or  a  clever  package  of  books  or  pamphlets,  or 
both,  or  had  a  larger  package,  or  box,  or  barrel,  speedily  to 
follow  him  by  express.  And  in  these  trips  he  often  found  his 
way  to  the  closets  or  attics  of  retired  ministers,  or  of  the  de- 
scendants of  ministers,  from  which  valuable  treasures  for  these 
shelves  have  been  received.  The  heirs  of  deceased  ministers, 
and  of  a  number  of  distinguished  laymen,  have,  on  request, 
given  a  good,  if  not  the  larger  part,  of  very  valuable  libraries. 
Jn  these  ways  no  inconsiderable  number  of  duplicates  were 
found  to  accumulate.  These  have  served  as  a  basis  for  very 
extensive  exchanges  with  all  the  principal  libraries  for  hun- 
dreds of  miles  around.  By  the  sale  of  some  duplicates  and  of 
waste  paper  carefully  preserved  for  that  purpose,  and  from 
some  small  gifts  of  friends,  a  thousand  volumes,  more  or  less, 
of  the  more  rare  and  valuable  books  of  the  library  have  been 
purchased.  Two  hundred  and  nineteen  dollars  for  binding 
have  been  appropriated  from  the  treasury,  and  nothing  more 
has  come  from  the  contributions  of  the  churches  to  secure  the 
more  than  fifteen  thousand  bound  volumes  and  quite 
FIFTY  THOUSAND  PAMPHLETS  uow  in  the  Hbrary.  While  many 
of  these  are  of  a  somewhat  miscellaneous  character,  and  may 


88  HISTORICAL   SKETCH  OF  THE 

at  some  future  day  be  exchanged  for  others  more  nearly  in 
the  line  of  its  specialties,  yet  it  is  believed  to  be  entirely  true 
that  the  mass  of  both  volumes  and  pamphlets  is  just  what  is 
essential,  and  very  many  of  them  could  not  be  easily  re- 
produced. In  securing  the  early  and  contemporaneous  history 
of  the  Congregational  churches  of  New  England,  and  of  the 
country,  indeed,  importunity  and  perseverance  have  been  quite 
reasonably  rewarded. 

It  should  be  said,  further,  that  the  efforts  of  the  librarian 
have  been  stimulated  in  this  particular  direction,  partly  from 
the  fact  that  the  financial  condition  of  the  country  did  not 
justify  especial  appeals  to  the  churches  for  building  funds  dur- 
ing a  part  of  the  period  now  referred  to,  and  in  part  from  the 
feeling  so  common,  that  the  plan  for  a  Congregational  House 
was  more  ideal;  and  fanciful  than  real  and  substantial ;  that  it 
did  not  arise  from  any  especial  need,  nor  did  it  promise  any 
especial,  solid  good.  It  came  at  length  to  be  seen  that  there 
was  gathered  in  this  incipient  library  a  substantial  and  valu- 
able treasure,  that  absolutely  needed  just  the  structure  pro- 
posed. And  it  is  no  baseless  prediction  to  say,  that  when  its 
now  well-begun  fire-proof  building  is  complete,  there  will  be 
here  very  soon  thereafter,  the  best  Congregational,  ecclesiasti- 
cal, historical,  exegetical,  and  Biblical  library  in  the  country, 
and,  in  some  of  its  features,  the  best  in  the  world. 

Earnest  efforts  were  made  in  the  spring  of  1S62,  by  the 
directors  of  this  Association,  to  unite  it  with  the  American 
Congregational  Union,  —  having  the  peculiar  church-building 
work  of  the  latter  transferred  to  the  former.  The  proposition 
was  favorably  and  courteously  entertained  by  a  large  majority 
"of  the  trustees  of  the  Union,  but  failed  of  a  sanction  by  the 
members  at  their  next  annual  meeting. 

Early  in  1864,  the  question  of  raising  funds  for  the  Congre- 
gational House  was  discussed  at  various  meetings  of  the  di- 
rectors ;  and  December  28th  of  that  year,  Henry  Edwards,  Esq., 
of  this  city,  w^as  appointed  financial  agent  for  Boston  and 
vicinity.     He  entered  upon  this  service  without  fee  or  reward. 


CONGREGATIONAL   ASSOCIATION.  89 

and  accomplished  much,  both  in  removing  prejudice  and  in 
securing  reliable  subscriptions.  His  extensive  business  ac- 
quaintance, as  well  as  his  gentlemanly  bearing  and  admirable 
tact,  gave  him,  in  the  circumstances,  gratifying  success.  The 
amount  required  to  make  these  subscriptions  binding,  how- 
ever, was  not  secured.  There  seemed  to  be,  nevertheless,  an 
imperious  necessity  for  pressing  the  matter  of  subscriptions 
at  once,  and  the  Rev.  A.  P.  Marvin,  of  Winchendon,  was  en- 
gaged to  give  his  whole  time  to  this  work  for  one  year.  He 
carefully  and  faithfully  canvassed  Boston  and  vicinity,  and 
other  cities  of  this  State,  and,  to  some  extent,  of  other  New- 
England  States,  presenting  the  subject  on  the  Sabbath  wher- 
ever he  could,  encountering,  very  generally,  the  same  all  but 
insurmountable  indifferences  and  difficulties  that  had  con- 
fronted his  predecessors  in  the  same  line  of  eftbrt.  With 
wonderful  patience  and  characteristic  persistence,  he  went 
through  his  term  of  service,  and  continued  it  for  five  months 
afterwards,  —  securing  the  renewal  of  the  most  of  the  sub- 
scriptions that  had  been  previously  given  to  Mr.  Edwards, 
bringing  the  whole  sum  up  to  the  required  fifty  thousand 
dollars,  —  making  the  pledges  binding,  —  the  most  of  which 
were  subsequently  redeemed. 

The  directors  were  among  the  first  to  take  active  measures 
in  relation  to  the  calling  of  the  National  Council  of  1865, 
and  were  represented  at  the  preliminary  meeting  held  in  New 
York,  November  16,  1864  ;  and  on  the  invitation  of  one  of  its 
directors,  providentially  present,  that  council  was  held  at 
Boston.  The  objects  of  the  Association  were  cordially  com- 
mended by  this  council  to  the  confidence  and  contributions  of 
the  churches. 

During  this  year  there  was  a  careful  revision  of  the  Consti- 
tution and  By-Laws,  and  some  important  changes  were  made ; 
all  of  which  were  unanimously  adopted  at  the  next  annual 
meeting  of  the  Association,  and  in  their  essential  features  have 
remained  as  they  are  now  published  herewith. 


go  HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  THE 

The  property  on  Chaiincy  Street  was  found  to  be  appreciat- 
ing in  value,  and  yet  was  quite  too  limited  to  accomrriodate  the 
increasing  needs  of  the  library,  and  the  different  benevolent 
societies  that  desired  rooms  in  the  Congregational  House.  It 
was  voted,  November  28,  1866,  to  sell  the  estate,  and  for  this 
purpose  an  especial  committee  was  appointed.  The  sale  was 
soon  after  effected  to  Messrs.  Jordan  &  Marsh,  for  fifty-seven 
thousand  six  hundred  and  eighty-four  dollars.  This  relieved 
the  embarrassments  of  the  Association,  so  that  on  removing 
to  40  Winter  Street,  March  ist,  1867,  there  was  on  hand  about 
sixty  thousand  dollars  well  invested,  a  library  of  six  thousand 
and  sixty  bound  volumes,  and  nearly  thirty-thousand  pam- 
phlets. 

Towards  the  close  of  the  preceding  year,  arrangements 
were  made  with  the  Corresponding  Secretary  to  give  his  whole 
time  to  the  work  of  the  Association,  on  and  after  January  i, 
1867.  The  embarrassed  state  of  the  country,  however,  super- 
vening upon  the  close  of  the  war,  still  continuing,  it  was  not 
deemed  wise  to  urge  the  claims  of  the  Association  for  imme- 
diate contributions  or  subscriptions.  The  secretary  visited 
local  and  state  conferences  and  associations,  wherever  and  when- 
ever circumstances  would  allow,  usually  receiving  an  attentive, 
though  very  brief  hearing,  and  always  cordial  indorsements. 
Through  the  "  Congregational  Quarterly,"  in  every  issue  ; 
through  the  denominational  papers  generally,  and  especially 
through  the  "  Congregationalist "  of  this  city  ;  through  printed 
circulars,  as  well  as  by  direct  appeals  from  every  pulpit  to 
which  he  could  gain  access,  and  a  very  large  correspondence, 
—  h«  labored  to  bring  and  keep  this  subject  before  not  an 
altogether  susceptible,  nor  an  altogether  willing  people.  The 
obstacles  which  had  limited  the  success  of  his  worthy  pred- 
ecessors, were  still  multitudinous,  but  unreasonable  ;  and  so, 
of  course,  the  harder  to  remove.  He  gave  much  time  still 
to  the  increase  of  the  library,  and  added,  in  two  years,  four 
thousand  six  hundred  and  seventy-nine  bound  volumes,  and 


aWGREGA  TIONAL  ASSOC  I  A  TION. 


91 


over  fifteen  thousand  pamphlets,  embracing  many  of  the  most 
rare  and  valuable  works  now  in  the  library. 

During  this  time  he  —  with  others  of  this  Board  —  was  in 
earnest  pursuit  of  a  suitable  site  for  the  proposed  House,  No 
person,  unfamiliar  with  this,  for  so  long  a  time,  fruitless  search, 
could  conceive  the  difficulties  attending  it.  The  limits  within 
which  it  must  be  found,  were  restricted  to  Tremont  Street  on 
the  west,  Boylston  Street  on  the  south,  Washington  Street  on 
the  east,  and  School  Street  on  the  north,  or  in  the  immediate 
vicinities  thereof;  and  then  said  site  must  be  large,  light,  have 
fair  business  facilities,  yet  be  reasonably  retired.  A  number  01 
places  were  found  where  a  part  of  these  necessary  conditions 
were  fulfilled,  but  not  all. 

The  Gardner  House,  No.  7  Beacon  Street,  was  early  looked 
at,  and  given  up  as  too  small ;  and  at  the  same  time  efforts 
were  made  to  secure  estates  in  its  rear,  opening  into  Pember- 
ton  Square,  but  without  success.  Failing  everywhere  else, 
attention  was  again  called  to  the  Gardner  House,  and  a 
refusal  of  it  taken  early  in  1871.  While  casting  about  to  see 
how  necessary  accommodations  could  be  crowded  into  so 
small  a  compass,  or  from  what  direction  any  enlargement 
could  be  made  available,  most  unexpectedly  it  was  found  that 
the  adjoining  Club  House  could  be  purchased  at  a  fair  price, 
affording  ample  room,  light,  air,  business  facilities,  quiet, — 
indeed,  fulfilling  all  the  necessary  conditions  of  the  required 
site  ;  so  the  purchase  of  both  estates  was  made  at  once,  for 
the  sum  of  two  hundred  and  ninety- three  thousand  four  hun- 
dred and  eighty-four  dollars  and  twelve  cents. 

But  the. subject  of  raising  funds  to  pay  for  a  site  and  erect 
a  suitable  building,  was  a  very  frequently  recurring  subject. 
At  a  regular  meeting  of  the  directors,  Oct.  3,  1869,  the  ques- 
tion of  "  What  shall  be  aone  in  the  immediate  future  .-' "  was 
considered  with  this  one  special  object  in  view,  but  specific 
action  was  deferred  to  secure  a  full  meeting  of  the  Board,  which 
was  held  Nov.   3,  1869,  and  a  committee  was  then  appointed 


92 


HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  THE 


to  devise  and  put  in  requisition  the  best  means  to  secure  sub- 
scriptions for  this  purpose. 

At  a  regular  meeting  held  Jan.  5,  1870,  the  question  of  the 
expediency  of  observing  the  two  hundred  and  fiftieth  anniver- 
sary of  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrims,  was  presented  by  the  cor- 
responding secretary,  and  fully  discussed.  It  was  answered 
unanimously  in  the  affirmative,  and  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  correspond  "  with  other  Congregational  bodies  in 
regard  to  the  necessary  preliminary  measures."  Cordial  re- 
sponses were  generally  received,  and  a  convention  of  dele- 
gates from  the  different  parts  of  the  country  was  held  in  the 
chapel  of  the  Broadway  Tabernacle  Church,  of  New  York 
city,  March  2,  1870,  to  devise  and  suggest  fitting  methods  for 
observing  the  year,  and  the  subject  of  erecting  the  Congrega- 
tional House,  at  Boston,  was  recommended  as  one  of  the  three 
adopted  and  indorsed  for  general  memorial  gifts.  A  national 
convention,  held  in  Chicago  the  following  April,  cordially  ap- 
proved of  this  object,  and  similar  commendations  were  given 
at  different  and  nearly  all  the  state  associations  and  confer- 
ences during  that  year.  During  the  last  half  of  this,  and  all 
of  the  following  year,  the  corresponding  secretary  presented 
the  claims  of  this  object  from  one  to  three  times  on  nearly 
every  Sabbath,  and  in  not  a  few  instances  received  very 
liberal  responses.  He  spent  much  time  in  attendance  upon 
local  memorial  conventions  held  in  different  parts  of  the  State. 
Deacon  Ezra  Farnsworth,  chairman  of  the  committee  on 
subscriptions,  and  Hon.  E.  S.  Tobey,  president  of  the  Asso- 
ciation, and  chairman  of  the  board  of  directors,  made  espe- 
cial efforts  to  secure  generous  gifts  from  Boston  and  its 
immediate  vicinity  ;  giving  liberally  themselves,  .they  were 
successful  in  persuading  a  number  of  others  to  follow  their 
good  example.  By  these  united  and  persistent  efforts,  and 
including  the  amount  already  raised,  as  the  available  funds  "of 
the  Association,  the  full  sum  of  one  hundred  and  eighty  thou- 
sand dollars  was  realized. 


CONGREGATIONAL  ASSOCIATION.  93 

It  is  proper  to  state  in  this  connection  that  it  has  always 
been  the  desire  of  the  directors  to  obtain  one  fairly  liberal 
cont7'ibittiou  from  every  Congregational  cJuirch  in  the  United 
States,  and  to  ask  for  only  one.  Life -membership  was  fixed 
at  the  very  low  price  of  not  less  than  one  dollar,  in  the  hope 
that  the  members  of  the  Congregational  churches  would  very 
generally  give  that  small  sum,  at  least,  and  so  become  part- 
ners in  this  family  structure.  But  there  has  been  a  strange 
reluctance  to  give  for  this  object,  scarcely  reconcilable  with 
fealty  to  the  great  principles  they  profess  to  hold  dear.  At 
this  writing,  only  just  two  thirds  of  the  Congregational 
churches  of  even  Massachusetts,  a  fraction  over  one  third  in 
Connecticut,  just  three  fifths  in  Rhode  Island,  and  less  than 
one  in  eight  of  the  remainder  of  the  Congregational  churches 
in  the  country,  have  given  anything,  either  by  contributions 
or  personal  gifts.  Of  the  two  hundred  thousand  dollars 
already  received  and  pledged,  less  than  fifty-five  thousand  has 
come  from  outside  of  Boston  and  immediate  vicinity, 

A  plan  for  changing  the  two  buildings,  known  as  the  Club 
and  Gardner  Houses,  so  as  to  make  them  available  for  the 
general  purposes  of  the  Association,  was  presented  by  Messrs. 
Cummings  and  Sears, —  well-known  architects  of  this  city, — 
involving  an  estimated  cost  of  over  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
five  thousand  dollars.  But,  at  the  very  best,  the  probable  re- 
sources of  the  directors  would  not  exceed  one  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars,  and  the  two  mortgages  of  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  each,  already  on  the  estates,  were  an  effective  protest 
against  further  incumbrances  ;  and  yet  the  two  buildings  were 
soon  to  be  without  occupants,  and  so  without  income  ;  and 
something  mnst  be  done.  A  plan  was  finally  developed  in  the 
building  committee,  and  outlined  as  a  guide  to  the  architects 
for  details,  for  the  general  arrangements  of  which  they  are 
not  to  be  held  responsible,  but  which  was  adopted  with  entire 
unanimity  by  the  directors,  and  in  nearly  every  essential 
feature  has  been   executed  by  the  builders.     This  plan  con- 


94  HISTORICAL  SKETCH  OF  THE 

templated  in  the  outset  no  changes  in  either  of  the  buildings 
except  where  necessity  compelled  them,  and  then  the  least 
possible  ;  and  no  changes  anywhere  that  would  be  likely  to 
be  otherwise  than  permanent,  thus  preserving  floors,  par- 
titions, ceilings,  cornices,  centre-pieces,  pilasters,  arches,  plas- 
tering, doors,  closets,  and  the  like,  greatly  economizing  the  cost 
of  reconstruction,  while  securing  the  general  convenience  of 
those  who  were  to  occupy  the  different  rooms  of  the  building. 
Upon  this  plan  contracts  were  made  for  the  chief  work  needed 
to  be  done  within  the  one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  hopefully, 
at  the  command  of  the  building  committee. 

As  a  means  chiefly  to  make  sure  the  needed  one  hundred 
thousand  dollars,  the  kind  offer,  from  a  number  of  influential 
and  competent  ladies,  to  get  up  and  conduct  a  fair  in  the  in- 
terests of  the  building  fund,  was  cordially  accepted  ;  and  at  a 
meeting  of  the  directors,  April  8,  1872,  a  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  arrange  for  and  take  the  general  management  of 
the  same.  It  was  held  for  two  weeks  in  Horticultural  Hall, 
the  last  of  October.  It  opened  with  the  most  encouraging 
prospects  of  success ;  but  on  the  third  day  the  threatened  epi- 
zootic was  fully  developed,  cutting  off"  all  communication  from 
without,  and  intercommunications  from  within  the  city,  so  far 
—  and  that  was  very  far  —  as  these  depended  on  conveyance 
by  horse-cars  or  carriages.  This  embargo  continued  until  near 
the  close  of  the  two  weeks,  greatly  circumscribing  our  receipts, 
and  disappointing  our  aj^parently  well-founded  hopes.  A 
trifle  over  fifteen  thousand  dollars  clear  gain  was  realized. 
The  directors  wish  here  to  make  grateful  mention  of  the  ear- 
nest and  skillful  labors  and  plans  of  the  executive  committee, 
as  well  as  of  the  officers  and  attendants  at  the  various  tables, 
and  of  the  churches  and  individuals  who  contributed  money, 
time,  influence,  and  variously,  to  ensure  the  success  that  was 
realized.  While  all  did  so  much  and  so  well,  it  may  seem  in- 
vidious to  name  any  one  ;  and  yet  it  is  but  just  to  record  the 
fact  that  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  C.  Clapp  took  especial  interest  and 
rendered  especial  service  from  the  incipiency  to  the  finale  of 


CONGREGA  TIONAL   ASSOCIA  T20N. 


95 


this  toilsome  undertaking.  To  the  suggestion  that  we  might 
be  obliged  to  resort  to  the  expedient  of  a  fair  to  raise  funds, 
Mrs.  Clapp  responded  heartily  more  than  a  year  before  any 
decided  steps  were  taken  to  have  one.  She  conversed  with  and 
so  interested  other  ladies  that  they  joined  her  in  the  proffer 
which  was  so  cordially  made.  She  visited  cities  and  towns  in 
its  behalf,  secured  pledges  for  the  refreshment  room,  and 
contributed  in  many  ways  to  the  exceedingly  pleasant  social 
intercourse  of  its  attendants  and  visitors,  from  the  besrinnino- 
to  the  end. 

Owing  to  the  occupancy  of  the  Gardner  House,  under  a 
lease,  the  directors  were  delayed  in  commencing  the  work  of 
reconstruction  quite  beyond  their  hopes.  Plans  were  accept- 
ed at  their  meeting,  held  May  4,  1872,  and  contracts  for  the 
heavier  part  of  the  work  were  very  soon  thereafter  made. 
Verbal  assurances  were  given  that  all  would  be  complete  by 
the  first  of  November  following.  Some  unlooked-for  hin- 
derances  intervened,  and  it  was  not  until  the  first  of  February, 
1873,  that  possession  was  given  to  any  of  the  occupants.  One 
after  another  followed,  so  that  before  March  ist  all  the  benevo- 
lent societies,  save  one,  intending  to  be  here,  were  in  their 
places.  For  the  names  of  builders,  and  the  finances  of  the 
Association,  see  pages  46  and  47. 

Thus  far  is  history.  Without  venturing  to  prophesy,  but 
judging  from  the  unanimous  testimony  of  the  constituency  of 
the  various  Christian  organizations  now  brought  together  in 
these  exceedingly  pleasant  rooms,  the  very  confident  opinion 
may  be  expressed  that  "the  Congregational  House"  will  much 
more  than  meet  the  expectations  of  its  most  ardent  friends,  and 
will  be  quite  satisfactory  to  the  churches  generally,  in  whose 
interests  it  has  been  erected.  When  the  library  building  shall 
be  completed,  —  and  may  that  happy  day  be  near  !  —  the  rep- 
resentatives of  the  principles  and  polity  of  the  Apostles  and 
Pilgrims  will  have  a  home,  a  centre  of  influence  for  good,  and 
a  name  and  a  place  in  Christ's  family  of  churches,  as  never 
before. 


ACT   OF   INCORPORATION 

OF   THE 

American  CougTcgational  l^ssociatioiL 


COMMONWEALTH    OF   MASSACHUSETTS. 

In  the  Year  One  Thousand  Eight  Hutidred  and  Fifty-Four. 

An  Act  to  incorporate  the  Congregational  Library  Association,  at  Boston. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  in  General  Court 
assembled,  and  by  the  aiithority  of  the  same,  as  follows :  — 

Section  i.  Rufus  Anderson,  Joseph  S.  Clark,  Julius  A.  Palmer,  their 
associates  and  successors,  are  hereby  made  a  corporation  by  the  name  of 
the  Congregational  Library  Association  at  Boston,  for  the  purpose  of 
establishing  and  perpetuating  a  lil^rary  of  the  religious  history  and  litera- 
ture of  New  England,  and  for  the  erection  of  a  suitable  building  for  the 
accommodation  of  the  same,  and  for  the  use  of  charitable  societies  ;  with 
all  the  powers  and  privileges,  and  subject  to  all  the  duties,  restrictions, 
and  liabilities  set  forth  in  the  forty-fourth  chapter  of  the  Revised  Statutes. 

Section  2.  Said  corporation  may  hold  real  or  personal  estate,  neces- 
sary and  convenient  for  the  purposes  aforesaid,  to  an  amount  not  exceed- 
ing, in  the  whole,  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  the  income 
whereof  shall  be  devoted  to  the  aforesaid  purposes. 

[Approved  by  the  Governor,  April  12,  1854. 


COMMONWEALTH    OF    MASSACHUSETTS. 

In  the  Year  One  Thousand  Eight  Hundred  and  Fifty-Six. 

An  Act  to  authorize  the  Congregational  Library  Association  of  Boston 
to  hold  additional  real  and  personal  estate. 

Be  it  enacted,  etc.,  as  follows  :  — 

Section  i.  The  Congregational  Library  Association,  at  Boston,  is 
hereby  authorized  to  hold  real  and  personal  estate  to  the  amount  of  one 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars,  in  addition  to  the  amount  that  said 
corporation  is  now  authorized  by  law  to  hold ;  provided,  that  no  part  of 
said  amount  shall  be  invested  in  real  estate,  except  in  the  purchase  of  a 
suitable  site,  and  the  erection  or  preparation  of  a  suitable  building,  to  be 
used  for  the  purposes  of  said  corporation,  as  set  forth  in  the  act  of  incor- 
poration passed  April  twelfth,  in  the  year  eighteen  hundred  and  fifty-four. 

Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  from  and  after  its  passage. 

[Approved  by  the  Governor,  April  24,  1856. 


ACT  OF  INCORPORATION.  97 

COMMONWEALTH    OF   MASSACHUSETTS. 
In  the  Year  One  Thousand  Eight  Hundred  and  Sixty-Four. 
An  Act  concerning  the  Congregational  Library  Association. 
Be  it  enacted.,  etc.,  as  follows :  — 

Section  i.  The  Congregational  Library  Association  is  hereby  author- 
ized to  change  its  name,  and  to  take  the  name  of  the  American  Congre- 
gational Association. 

Section  2.  In  addition  to  the  powers  heretofore  granted  said  corpo- 
ration, it  is  hereby  authorized  to  do  such  acts  as  may  promote  the  in- 
terest of  Congregational  churches  ;  by  publishing  works  ;  by  furnishing 
libraries  and  pecuniary  aid  to  parishes,  churches,  and  Sabbath  Schools  ; 
by  promoting  friendly  intercourse  and  co-operation  among  Congregational 
ministers  and  churches,  and  with  other  denominations  ;  and  by  collecting 
and  disbursing  funds  for  the  above  objects. 

Section  3. '   This  act  shall  take  eifect  on  its  passage. 

[Approved  by  the  Governor,  May  10,  1864. 


COMMONWEALTH    OF   MASSACHUSETTS. 
In  the  Year  One  Thousatid  Eight  Hundred  and  Seventy-One. 

An  Act  to  authorize  the  American  Congregational  Association  to  hold 
additional  real  and  personal  estate. 

Be  it  enacted,  etc.,  as  follows  :  — 

Section  i.  The  American  Congregational  Association,  at  Boston  is 
hereby  authorized  to  hold  real  and  personal  estate  to  the  amount  of  four 
hundred  and  filty  thousand  dollars,  in  addition  to  the  amount  that  said 
corporation  is  now  authorized  by  law  to  hold. 

Section  2.     This  act  shall  take  effect  upon  its  passage. 

[Approved  by  the  Governor,  February  24,  1871. 

13 


CONSTITUTION. 


Art.  I.  The  name  of  this  body  shall  be  the  American  Congrega- 
tional Association. 

Art.  1 1.  The  object  of  this  Association  shall  be  to  secure  the  erection, 
in  the  city  of  Boston,  of  a  Congregational  House  for  the  meetings  of 
the  body,  the  accommodation  of  its  library,  and  for  the  furtherance  of  its 
general  purposes  ;  to  found  and  perpetuate  a  library  of  books,  pamphlets, 
and  manuscripts,  and  a  collection  of  portraits  and  relics  of  the  past ;  and 
to  do  whatever  else  —  within  the  limits  of  its  charter  —  shall  serve  to 
illustrate  Congregational  history  and  promote  the  general  interests  of  the 
Congregational  churches. 

Art.  III.  This  Association  shall  be  composed  of  members  of  Ortho- 
dox Congregational  churches,  paying  each  one  dollar,  or  more,  into  its 
Treasury. 

Art.  IV.  The  officers  of  this  Association  shall  be  a  President,  such 
a  number  of  Vice-Presidents  as  the  Association  may  from  year  to  year 
elect,  a  Corresponding  and  Recording  Secretary,  a  Librarian,  Treasurer, 
Assistant  Treasurer,  and  an  Auditor.  These  Secretaries,  Librarian,  and 
Treasurer,  with  fourteen  others,  shall  be  a  Board  of  Directors,  charged 
with  the  general  interests  of  the  Association,  five  of  whom  shall  consti- 
tute a  quorum  for  the  transaction  of  business.  These  officers  shall  be 
chosen  by  ballot,  at  the  Annual  Meetings. 

Art.  V.  The  Annual  Meetings  for  the  choice  of  officers,  and  for 
other  business  appropriate  to  such  meetings,  shall  be  held  in  Boston,  on 
the  Tuesday  preceding  the  last  Wednesday  in  May,  in  each  year,  at 
twelve  o'clock,  M.  Special  meetings  may  be  called  at  any  time  by  the 
Board  of  Directors.  The  Annual  and  all  special  meetings  musi  be  called 
by  published  notice  in  the  Orthodox  Congregational  weekly  newspapers 
of  Boston,  at  least  one  week  previous. 

Art.  VI.  This  Constitution  may  be  altered  at  any  Annual  Meeting  by 
a  vote  of  two  thirds  of  the  members  present,  public  notice  having  been 
given  of  the  nature  of  the  proposed  alteration  in  the  call  for  the  meeting: 
but  the  tJiird  article  shall  be  unalterable. 


BY-LAWS. 


Art.  I.  The  exercises  of  the  Annual  Meeting  shall  be  pra3^er,  hearing 
the  report  of  the  Directors,  and  other  officers  having  reports  to  make  ; 
action  upon  the  same  ;  the  election  of  officers,  and  the  performance  of 
such  other  business  as  Shall  properly  come  before  the  meeting. 

Art.  II.  The  Directors  shall  prescribe  their  own  times  of  meeting,  as 
their  judgment  of  the  best  interests  of  the  Association  may  suggest,  and 


BY-LAWS.  99 

the  method  of  calling  the  same.  All  their  meetings  shall  be  opened  with 
prayer.  They  shall  also  have  power  to  appoint  and  order  any  public 
meeting  of  the  Association  for  anniversary  purposes,  which  they  may 
think  fit. 

Art.  III.  At  the  first  Directors'  meeting  after  their  appointment,  a 
chairman  shall  be  chosen  by  ballot,  and  a  Finance  Committee  and  Libra- 
ry Committee  by  nomination  (each  of  three  members),  to  serve  respec- 
tively for  the  year.  Immediately  after  the  opening  of  each  meeting  the 
minutes  of  the  previous  meeting  shall  be  read,  and  a  docket  of  business, 
prepared  by  the  Corresponding  Secretary  and  Librarian,  shall  be  pre- 
sented to  the  Board  for  action,  to  which  any  member  may  add  other  items. 

Art.  IV.  The  Directors  shall  make  a  report  of  their  doings  for  the 
year  at  each  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Association,  and  suggest  such  meas- 
ures for  the  action  of  the  body  as  in  their  judgment  its  welfare  requires. 

Art.  V.  The  Corresponding  Secretary  shall  discharge  the  duties  or- 
dinarily belonging  to  that  office. 

Art.  VI.  The  Recording  Secretary  shall  make  a  full  record  of  what- 
ever business  is  transacted  in  the  meetings,  both  of  the  Association  and 
of  the  Board  of  Directors,  in  a  book  provided  for  that  purpose,  and  kept 
at  the  rooms  of  the  Association. 

Art.  VI  I.  The  Treasurer  shall  have  charge  of  all  moneys  belonging 
to  the  Association,  and  hold  the  same  at  the  disposal  of  the  Directors, 
who  shall  also  define  the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  the  Assistant 
Treasurer,  —  paying  only  such  bills  as  have  the  certified  approval  of  at 
least  two  members  of  the  Finance  Committee.  He  shall  report  the  state 
of  the  Treasury  to  the  Association  at  their  Annual  Meetings,  and  to  the 
Directors  whenever  desired  by  them  to  do  so. 

Art.  VIII.  The  Librarian  shall  keep  a  complete  catalogue  of  all 
books,  pamphlets,  manuscripts,  periodicals,  portraits,  and  other  articles  of 
interest  belonging  to  the  Association,  with  the  names  of  their  donors  an- 
nexed, and  shall  have  the  general  charge  of  the  same  under  the  Library 
Committee. 

Art.  IX.  Previously  to  each  Annual  Meeting,  the  Library  Committee 
shall  examine  the  Library  and  all  the  property  of  the  Association,  and 
report  its  condition  to  the  Board,  who  shall  embody  that  statement  in 
their  Annual  Report. 

Art.  X.  No  book,  pamphlet,  manuscript,  or  periodical,  shall  be  taken 
from  the  Library  except  on  such  terms,  and  for  such  time,  as  the  Library 
Committee  shall  prescribe  ;  nor  shall  visitors  be  permitted  to  make  ex- 
tracts from  manuscripts  without  the  knowledge  and  consent  of  the  Li- 
brarian. 

Art.  XI.  These  By-Laws  may  be  amended  at  any  regularly- called 
meeting  of  the  Association,  by  a  vote  of  two  thirds  of  the  members 
present. 


OFFICERS 

OF    THE 


^meriran  C0ngri:gati0nal  ^.ssotialton, 


FOR  1872-3. 


|.1rcsib£nt. 
Hon.  EDWARD  S.  TOBEY,  Boston. 

Hon.  William  W.  Thomas,  Portland,  Me. 

Rev.  Nathaniel  Bouton,  d.  d..  Concord,  N.  H. 

Rev.  Harvey  D.  Kitchel,  d.  d.,  Middlebury,  Vt. 

Rev.  Jacob  Ide,  d.  d.,  Medvvay,  Mass. 

Rev.  Seth  Svveetser,  d.  d.,  Worcester,  Mass. 

Hon.  Samuel  Williston,  Easthampton,  Mass. 

Rev.  Thomas  Shepard,  d.  n.,  Bristol,  R.  I. 

Hon.  Amos  C.  Barstow,  Providence,  R.  I. 

Rev.  Leonard  Bacon,  d.  d.,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

Hon.  William  A.  Buckingham,  Norwich,  Conn. 

Hon.  Calvin  Day,  Hartford,  Conn. 

Rev.  William  M.  Taylor,  d  d.,  New  York  City. 

Rev.  Ray  Palmer,  d.  d..  New  York  City. 

Rev.  Wm.  Ives  Budington,  d.  d.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Rev.  Israel  W.  Andrews,  d.  d..  Marietta,  O. 

Rev.  Samuel  Wolcott,  d.  d.,  Cleveland,  O. 

Rev.  Nathaniel  A.  Hyde,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

Rev.  Julian  M.  Sturtevant,  d.  d.,  Jacksonville,  Ilk 

Rev.  Samuel  C.  Bartlett,  d.  d.,  Chicago,  111. 

Hon.  Charles  G.  Hammond,  Chicago,  111. 

A.  Finch,.  Escj.,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 

Rev.  Wm.  E.  Merriman,  d.  d.,  Ripon,  Wis. 

Rev.  Truman  M.  Post,  d.  d.,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Rev.  William  Salter,  d.  d.,  Burlington,  Iowa. 

Rev.  George  Mooak,  d.  d.,  Oakland,  CaL 

Rev.  Henry  Wilkes,  d.  d.,  Montreal,  Canada. 

directors. 

Hon.  Edward  S.  Tobey,  Boston.  James  P.  Melledgf,  Esq.,  Cambridge. 

John  Field,  Esq.,  Arlington.  Hon.  RuFus  S.  Frost,  Chelsea. 

Rev.  Alonzo  H.   Quint,    d.  d.,   New  J.  Russell  Bradford,  Esq.,  Boston. 

Bedford.  Wm.  C.   Strong,  Esq.,  Brighton. 

Ezra  Farnsworth,  Esq.,  Boston.  D.-wid  N.  Skillings,  Esq.,  Winches- 
Rev.  H.  M.  Dexter,  d  d.,  Boston.  ter. 

Henry  D.  Hyde,  Esq.,  Boston.  Rev.  N.  G.  Clark,  d.  d.,  Boston. 

Rev.  John  O.  Means,  d.  d.,  Boston.  Richard  H.  Stearns,  Esq.,  Boston. 

®r£asiutr. 
SAMUEL  T.  SNOW,  Esq.,  Boston 

Corrtsponbing  SctrtlHru,  librarian,  aub  Assistant  ©rcasnrer. 

Rev.  ISAAC  P.  LANGWORTHY,  Chelsea. 

^ccorbing  Sctrctarjj. 

Rev.  DANIEL  P.  NOYES,  Longwood. 

giubitor. 
JOSEPH  N.  BACON,  Esq.,  Newton. 


BX7105.A5A5 
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